After reading Jared Diamond's "The Third Chimpanzee", I'm wondering if we'll ever accept who we really are. Until we do, I'm afraid we'll never solve the problems we are creating on this planet.
Mr. Diamond clearly notes the key feature of the human animal that has set us on this very different path. Humans evolved to communicate and compile more complex information than any other species. We built vast reservoirs of knowledge and technology using scientific methods that require solid evidence (which helps protect us from our innate flawed thinking). (Portion in italics is my own expansion on the concepts discussed in Mr Diamond's books.)
And yet, with all that humanity has accomplished and learned, we seem unable to face the truth of who we are. Until we do, we will never completely understand where we have been or honestly address where we are heading.
More below the squiggle...
If you haven't read Mr. Diamond's books, I highly recommend them. Guns, Germs, and Steel does an excellent job of explaining why some populations flourished and spread (often through conquest of other populations), while others didn't (spoiler alert: the reason is NOT genetic superiority). The Third Chimpanzee studies the features of humanity, including our environmental impact on other species, and on the planet.
The Third Chimpanzee reviews some cases where human societies caused disastrous environmental damage such as Easter Island and Chaco Canyon. It notes key issues that prevent us from recognizing and adapting our behavior before we reach a disastrous tipping point. One issue resonates with our situation today:
Damage is also likely in centralized states that concentrate wealth in the hands of rulers, who are out of touch with their environment.
Sound familiar? I don't think we need to look very far for examples of how this works. In modern industry, it's common that the higher up the food chain people move, the less they understand about what is really going on with the products they produce and the people they employ.
It is easy to point fingers toward the top, the elite 1%. But I'm afraid there is a bigger problem in modern society. How many of us have first-hand knowledge of all the things that go into what we use and consume on a day-in, day-out basis? None of us! To varying degrees, but definitely across the board, we're all out of touch. And this makes every one of us susceptible to causing damage (oh, and we are).
The even deeper issue, though, is our human-centric way of viewing everything. It's natural to focus on our own survival, needs, etc. But our civilization was built on a belief in the superiority of our species; our god-given right to dominion over the earth. Even those who altruistically step outside of their personal self-interest often turn their focus on the needs of other humans first.
As long as we cling to the idea that the human species is special we will continue on a flawed path. We will never live in harmony with our world if we view ourselves and our needs as uniquely important.
If you read this far, I'm guessing you have already considered this in the past. And if so, I guess I'm preaching to the choir.