The Real Problem of Humanity

The world is currently in crisis, and the reasons for how we got here may vary depending on one’s opinion. In a 2009 interview, American biologist Dr. Wilson made a thought-provoking statement that is hard to dispute. He said the real problem of humanity: “we have paleolithic emotions, medieval institutions, and god-like technology. It is terrifically dangerous and is now approaching a point of crisis overall.” Let us explore this statement.

Often, our efforts to address problems worsen them or create new ones because we do not make enough effort to understand the cause. A helpful metaphor to illustrate this is a growing bush that disrupts a chosen path. While cutting the branches helps temporarily, they will likely grow back. Digging out the roots and removing the plant would be much work but not relevant as this is only a metaphor. However, looking ahead and seeing where the path is taking us is helpful.

The concept of reductionism was first introduced by Descartes in 1637. He argued that the world could be understood as a machine by taking it apart, studying its pieces, and then putting them back together to see the bigger picture. Unfortunately, this approach removes some of the data, and the bigger picture that emerges is not one of reality but distorted, leading to suboptimal decisions. Adam Smith epitomised this thinking in his book “The Wealth of Nations“, first published in 1776.

Leaders’ success during this time significantly impacted the development of global systems. This success marked the beginning of the influence on development that Wilson identified. Their success in obtaining power and wealth gave leaders the hit of dopamine (paleolithic emotions), giving feelings of pleasure, satisfaction and motivation like the addictions we deal with in modern society. Wanting to continue this pleasure for themselves and their families, they influenced society through laws and education in ways that ensured power and influence continued in their families for generations.

Individuals within the organisation receive and communicate information according to their position in the chain of command. Success in this context often depends on aligning with the practices and perspectives of those in higher positions. Failing to do so can have negative consequences for the individual. However, because information can be filtered or altered, leadership may quickly become isolated and out of touch with reality. (medieval institutions)

Reductionist thinking made it acceptable to internalise gains but externalise costs, so growth increased. Factory owners could employ people and work them hard because of a promise of a better future, and indeed, often, a person’s future was better. However, the worker became a part of the machine, which could be discarded and replaced when exhausted.

People realized that change can lead to either growth or decline, and they were keen on experiencing growth and improvement in their lives. Although we have achieved success virtually in all measures, we misunderstood its nature. Many people think of growth as a linear process, where a 3% growth, for example, represents a steady and constant increase. However, this is not the case. The 3% growth adds to the next period of growth, leading to an accelerating and faster rate of increase, known as exponential growth. This will become a problem because we are on a planet with limited resources.

Early factories were usually near rivers because of the power and logistics(transport) they provided. The discovery of fossil fuels was a game-changer as it offered a new source of power and transport, allowing factories to operate without being limited to a specific location or power source. Also, fossil fuels provide significantly more gains than alternatives due to their higher energy density and energy return on energy, ERoI. For example, a kilogram of coal produces much more heat than a kilogram of wood.

This higher energy density of fossil fuels and energy returns on energy changed the nature of growth rates from linear to exponential. This growth is broad in many respects, extending across the globe and over generations. Part of the difficulty stems from the fact that we have grown to consider it a normal situation. This is particularly the case with the decision-makers and the wealthy elite. Indigenous populations seem to understand better because they have retained a cultural worldview that they are one with the land and not separate from it. When offered financial compensation, they refuse it because Gia cannot be sold; you can not put a price on life. A growing number of academics and the general populous are coming to this same understanding. However, it is doubtful that they have the political influence to make the change because the political institutions have developed to ensure continuity and so are resistant to change.

Our technology has advanced to a level that seems almost God-like in its capabilities. We have developed artificial intelligence systems that can learn, adapt, and make decisions independently. We can manipulate genes, grow skin and organs in a lab, and manipulate and control matter at an atomic and molecular level. However, it’s worth noting that many of these capabilities are kept secret, raising questions about the ethical implications of this secrecy for profit or security reasons.