We Live In Interesting Times
Pulling together, circling up, when danger presents itself is important and can be life saving...
but it's costly and hardly a long term strategy.
We live in interesting times for any number of reasons. One of those is our capability to dramatically change the time frame and the nature of evolution. As Edward O. Wilson wrote,
"Our species has begun to cross what is the most important yet still least examined threshold in the technoscientific era. We are about to abandon natural selection, the process that created us, in order to direct our own evolution by volitional selection--the process of redesigning our biology and human nature as we wish them to be" (from The Meaning of Human Existence, p. 14).
In other words, we have the ability to subvert or to improve upon the evolutionary processes that created us. In a sense, we have the power to play at being gods. In another sense, perhaps this is just a logical evolutionary step, to be able to influence in a very rapid and no-going-back way our own evolution. To take charge of what until Darwin's time was a very invisible, inexorable process.
Given what is going on in the world these days, given how we have used our ability to make decisions about our stewardship of the Earth, about our ability to make collective decisions concerning whether we wish to live with an abundance mentality or a scarcity mentality, does this ability to modify evolution, that is, to change our genetic make up almost immediately, give you confidence in the future, or fear for our future?
In one way, I'm glad I'm old enough that I won't have to see too many of the struggles that might occur as the globe tries to figure out the ethical, political, commercial, and other critical decisions that will have to be made. In another, I regret that I'm old enough that I'll miss out on the potential benefits. I'll die color-blind, when if I had been born just a century later, I might have been able to see the whole spectrum. I might have been able to eat whatever I wanted and not gain weight. I might have been...
Given the results of our collective ability to make decisions to protect our environment and to ward off devastating climate change, I have little confidence our species will make wise choices in this arena in time. Interestingly, however, though it took a dangerous crisis to produce a sacrificial, wise, response, our global reaction to the coronavirus threat gives me a good deal of confidence that we can, at least have the capacity to, collectively protect ourselves.
Pulling together, circling up, when danger presents itself is important and can be life saving, but it's costly and hardly a long term strategy. We need strategic leadership at all levels and in all arenas to manage what is facing us as a species. We need profound leaders, who view themselves as embodying a sacred trust.
We live in interesting times.
Dangerous times.
Opportune times.
I'm about to pour my first cup of coffee of the day and to step outside to watch the birds in my backyard and the grass and the trees and all of that, this quiet Friday morning. These are all products of natural selection, with added human influence.
For now, I won't spend time speculating on the existential questions about them. But just relax in the morning calm.
May our grandchildren and their grandchildren experience similar, simple joys.
May we make the most of the tremendous powers we are developing to alter the very essence of who we are.
------------------------------------------
One more thought:
These times are interesting, that's for sure. Are they better, or worse, than earlier times? Well, part of that assessment depends upon what is being compared to what, and what era to what era. I'm infinitely glad we have progressed past the Inquisition, but I'm tragically sad that we still have religious wars, or wars of any kind. It's pretty wonderful that most people these days have indoor plumbing that kings didn't have in medieval times. I'm sad that we live in an era where leisure is viewed as indolence and people are expected to work all the time.
I think it's pretty easy to see, though, that - in general - our world is missing the education for, expectation of, and the value of virtues like humility, sacrifice, prayer, simplicity, service - the spiritual disciplines. Those simple practices, tied to a deep appreciation for, commitment to, and an understanding of science and research - deep knowledge, are parts of the essential bedrock society will need for making the important, complex choices we face.
Note: An early version of this essay was originally posted on April 29, 2020 on my Profound Living Facebook Page. I invite you to join me there, and also to join our Profound Living Group on Facebook.
Does this...give you confidence in the future, or fear for our future?
