Back in 1925 the “Scopes Monkey Trial” was a culminating moment in U.S. history for Darwin’s Theory of Evolution to be made widely available to the general public to study and to prove. Although many educated scientists are still looking for conclusive proof, the evolution of monkeys continues with the latest version of bipeds reproducing so rapidly that the supply of essential natural resources, clean water, and unpolluted air are being exhausted or contaminated.
The distractions to daily human routines are so abundant that the consequences of further evolution via “Natural Selection” are being ignored. The overpopulation of Homo sapiens is endangering the whole ecosystem, but the optimists are trying to convince anyone who will believe them that the Earth’s ecosystem can be sustained indefinitely as human technology advances. I don’t wish to be an alarmist, but their conclusion must be examined more completely.
To objective scientific observers, the concept called “Natural Selection,” where supposedly “the fittest survive,” is predicated on the assumption that a species’ continuity in whatever bizarre form it takes as it evolves signals the successful evolution of that particular species. The extinction of any species is lamented today, but the theory suggests that any species that can’t adapt to the physical challenges which threaten its survival will die off like the dinosaurs.
The major challenges to human survival on Earth are presumed to be climate changes, habitat deterioration, destruction caused by huge foreign objects like meteors from outer space, the proliferation of predators, and epidemics of fatal infectious diseases. “Wars” are included under “proliferation of predators,” which is what I choose to comment about today.
During the past hundred years humans have witnessed violent and destructive conflicts that were to end war, various weapons of mass destruction so terrifying that humans would avoid waging war, and unthinkable brutality to unprotected innocents considered merely “collateral damaged goods” when destroyed. None of the horrible consequences that slaughtered millions of humans in the past century seem to prevent modern leaders from launching new imperialistic and preemptive conquests that will kill thousands of humans – soldiers and by-standers.
The Prime Directive of Natural Selection is for a so-called “living” creature to endeavor to survive in whatever way possible to become the “fittest” in order to reproduce similar creatures. When faced with a murderous enemy, passive surrender maybe an adaptive practice if it avoids death. However, surrender wasn’t a solution for millions of Jews during World War II. So, this Prime Directive essentially boils down to: “Kill your enemy before your enemy can kill you.” That bit of advice seems out of place in the 21st Century, but it still is the intellectual motivation behind the threats, the sanctions, and the deployment of airborne drones.
While praising the survival of the fittest, the Law of Natural Selection seems to accept the automatic phasing out of the unfit. Modern humans resist the sentence handed down that requires the extermination of the unfit, especially the unfit humans. But an alternate solution for the unfit isn’t available under that law. There is no appeal process, no higher court to review the events that led to sentencing, and no possibility of executive pardon. The unfit are gone, and from the standpoint of those who remain that don’t need the unfit as a source of food, good riddance! Less competition for the scarce natural resources!
Those considered fit share one common principle: eliminate competitors and anyone whose presence doesn’t seem to benefit the fit. That is the goal of the rugged individualists, the imperialists, and the jihadists. To the victors go the spoils, the trophies, and the prize money for being the tournament winners! (Or the temporary survivors.) Humans who love sports and the games which are the microcosm of the never-ending competition to survive on this planet applaud those who triumph. Theirs was a journey to an end of eliminating the less competent, less fit competitors.
So, how do the “lesser fit” manage to stave off extermination? Simple, by becoming more fit, of course. However, where are the classes that teach the modern biped how to compete and how to be successful in the ring? How do the aspirants adapt themselves for future strenuous contests? And where do they go to practice adapting to the new challenges? There are no apparent answers to these questions. But there is one bit of advice for confronting the minor challenges in the near term: strive to achieve some superlative attribute and to conquer the competition with that talent in some unique way.
That doesn’t mean you will survive “natural disasters” like hurricanes, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions. That advice is to evolve gradually into a superlative creature capable of enduring the minor challenges of the social environment and of defending yourselves from the more fit creatures of your species who would humiliate you and from the hungry predators that want your hairy hide displayed on their wall somewhere.
As World War III awaits its ignition point or the crusades begin in earnest again – enlivened by the hatred of the religious adversaries who inhabit this over-populated ecosystem, the question remains: What species of creatures will be the last one to be exterminated? Which species will be the fittest to survive the conditions of the Earth when essential food sources are exhausted, our supply of fresh water is contaminated, and the free air we breathe is polluted with carbon dioxide? Who will be left on Earth to dig up human skeletons and classify the fossilized remains of some unfit Homo mirabilis?
Whether you are unfit for anything, or one of the fittest, enjoy being invited to sojourn in this global amusement park. There are many exciting rides for you to take while you are visiting and a few games of chance to play on the midway while you exhaust your money and time evolving into a more “fit” human being.
However, don’t you wonder what species of “fit” creatures will be crawling all over some exposed human skull in the future when the last human is dead and not properly interred? I suspect that one of those creatures be muttering to his companions, “Alas, poor Yorick, I knew him well.”
