History is evolution in action. Human progress has been driven by individuals and communities striving for success in an evolutionary process. Those communities that thrive, propagate their technologies, skills, organisational systems, knowledge and culture. The unique habits, language and mores of failed communities are lost forever.
The process is known as memetic (or cultural) evolution, and up to now it has been a fantastic biological success story. World population now exceeds 7.5 billion. Complex multi-tiered societies have been formed, amazing new technologies have been created and science has established an understanding of the workings of the universe. We live 3 times longer than our distant ancestors and have massively more stimulating and enjoyable lives. It is true there have been setbacks along the historical path. There have been devastating wars, life-wasting pandemics, famines due to harvest failures and horrendous natural disasters. But thus far humans have recovered from these events and moved on.
So far evolutionary forces have benefited mankind. But evolution is blind it does not always lead to improvement. It appears we are being bowled along by evolutionary forces to create a divided society that is destroying the planet. If humans continue on their current evolutionary path, the effect of the disruption of Earth’s environment will be a catastrophic decline in human wealth and health. The grim reapers of war, famine, natural disaster, plague, economic failure, revolution and environmental disaster will sweep the planet.
It is no longer possible to pretend that it will be all right on the night, that all the nations of the world will find ways of co-operating and overcoming the evolutionary dangers ahead. Memetic evolutionary forces are too strong. The national, community and individual desire to act in their own self-interest is very difficult to overcome on a global scale. The fact that Trump, Modi, Bolsonaro and many other climate-change deniers have been elected to power is a testament to the challenges ahead.
We are at the start of the end-game, when global wealth will not advance, life expectancy will deteriorate and humanitarian crises will proliferate. As we cope with the coming emergencies, we have big decisions ahead on the type of society we want to become.
Eco-humanity proposes a way to make the world a better place for our children, We need to make big changes, but time is short