With the human population on the planet approaching seven billion and projected to reach nine billion by 2050, I think it’s time to consider this fundamental if unpalatable fact.The Fact of Life (Symbiosis and Survival of Species)
Evolution has no intentions. Its course is unplanned, just like a river that finds its way to the sea. Every development is accidental, the ongoing progress of cause and effect.
Any species that achieves longevity does so because of the favourable symbiotic relationship it has with other species and the environment.
As brutish as it may seem, a key factor in a species’ survival and future adaptation is attrition, be it attack by predators, the uncertain availability of food, succumbing to disease, infant mortality, or fatality from combat. As harsh as this existence may appear, the overall balance ensured longevity of the species.
This interaction which is of mutual benefit to the total ecosystem may have changed over a period of millions of years, but settles to a state of equilibrium favouring the current surviving species.
Homo sapiens have been successful survivors on this planet for at least 100,000 years, because of an equitable symbiotic relationship with the environment. That is, until recent times (1000 years ago?).
Until that time population levels were a minute fraction of what they are today. Infant mortality was high, average life expectancy was short.
With the advent of civilisation, things began to change. Knowledge of the importance of hygiene, and the development of medicine meant people lived longer, infant mortality decreased, and the population soon began its upward climb. Today there are upward of six billion people on the planet. The demands on the environment by today’s individual are far greater than that of a person even 100 years ago.
Not only are we no longer in a symbiotic relationship with the environment, but we have destroyed the relationship for many other species, resulting in the greatest rate of extinctions ever.
Driven by insatiable want, we have become too successful.
Humanity has become malignant!
Like cancer cells that proliferate to the detriment of other cells, humans are overwhelming the planet and, in the manner of cancer cells, may ultimately destroy their host and consequently themselves.
People are awarded Nobel prizes for contributing to the well-being of society. From an evolutionary perspective of survival of the species, these contributions are not only worthless but detrimental.
Humanity’s most devastating creation is the economic juggernaut “capitalism” whose function it is, to consume natural resources, process them, then excrete them as garbage and green-house gas.
The balanced symbiotic mechanism, which has brought us into existence up to this point in history, is no longer working. We are tempted to believe that we humans can control our destiny, while ignoring the fundamental cause of our existence, ie, Evolution.
With such little understanding of how evolution has forged our existence, one wonders what future there is for humanity.
In 200 years, I wonder if there will be any survivors to remember humanity’s remarkable achievements in science and medicine and to reflect on the consequence of its cleverness.
David Martin,
Stanthorpe
