The citizens of today’s society should be extraordinary people. The genes we carry have been hand picked across thousands of years by natural selection, so that we have the traits of our most success ancestors. But what if success thousands of years ago and success today have completely different meanings? I do not think that there is one global issue that holds more importance than the rest, but I am proposing the idea that the instincts we’ve gained through evolution are actually the cause of the problems in our world today.
In ancient times, food was scarce and the individuals who were drawn to foods high in fat were the ones who survived food shortages and famine. Today some countries have an ample supply of food, but many people still carry genes that make them crave fatty foods. Instead of being a survival advantage, it is causing widespread obesity and health problems.
It was also necessary for ancient people to form tight clans, to conform to the thinking of their group, and to be hostile towards opposing groups. Those who behaved in these ways were the most likely to survive, and we are now genetically inclined to think in similar ways. Adolescents are likely to conform for their friends and are influenced by popular media. Conflicting countries turn to war because it is a natural instinct to be violent against people outside of their clan. And some research even suggests that the ancient instinct to be threatened by people from other tribes has resulted in genes that spark racist thinking.
The bottom line is that humans have evolved to become very egocentric individuals, looking out for their own survival ahead of all others. But in today’s world, our problems are much more complicated than basic survival, and we need to start working together to solve them. The biggest problem that faces us is debatable, but the solution to any problem will require a generation of individuals who are willing to fight their natural instincts, and put the needs of others before their own.
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