A polluted and deteriorating planet is easily blamed on societal impacts of digitalization, a virtual generation, or a global breakdown of “decent society”. Man’s ego, makes it hard to simply admit that humans are still way too immature. Emotional Development somehow never figures into the destruction equation. That’s a shame, because to fix a worst-case scenario global catastrophe, we first need to accurately assess the source of the problem. In other words, starting from true north will avoid disappointing results caused by a wrong premise. Believing mass human maturity is someday possible, I studied the full body of broadly accepted research about our past, before considering future solutions.
The Ailment
Humans have altered climate, eradicated species and destroyed much of the planet’s natural land. They do so because of a belief, that what’s in the best interest of man’s short life span, supersedes long-term sanctity of all others. Most extraordinary accomplishments come from 2% of the population. The inverse is true when it comes to extinguishing wildlife and natural habitats. Studies show two thirds of people care about the planet but far less act. Most accept diesel truck deliveries, use plastic bags or have children. Childbearing seems silly to point out but since humans reproduce exponentially and transfer their habits, our planet is doomed.
The disorder here is we rationalize our actions to make us feel better about what we do. Mankind has good excuses as to why they come first and prove it using narrowminded reasoning. This is often seen in cultural stereotyping. In the 1800’s Italians were unsavory because they cooked with garlic. Native Americans are sacrilegious because they used peyote. Burkas are offensive due to rare instances of genital mutilation. Correct conclusions notwithstanding, most of the equation is left out for easier self-serving rationalization. Thus, being at fault for destroying the planet is easy for many to accept—or should I say rationalize.
Aggressive Technology
Selfish prejudices are not cultural anomalies but our true nature. Dare I say, we are only human and neophytes in emotional development. What has fooled us into thinking we are so smart, is that utilitarian technology proceeds psychological advancement. Primitive weapons came long before the wheel and we dominated in a considerably short period of time on the evolutionary scale because aggressive technology developed first and rather quickly. Catching up to those advancements emotionally will still take millenniums, because life as a pleasant, cooperative garden of Eden was not our beginning—but could be our future.
Paleoanthropologists
Confirmed in field studies and even my own archaeology experience, primitive culture was intense and lethal. Skeletons from hunter gatherers show patterns of intense warfare among groups that included axes and projectile weapons. Nomadic foraging society was far from carefree. Look back at your own adolescence, it seemed like a breeze. Reality is—youth was difficult but rationalization helps whitewash the bad memories. So too are notions of early hunter gathers serenely roaming the planet.
Nine human species walked the Earth 300,000 years ago and we wiped out the other eight. Our modern ancestors who spread of out of Africa, didn’t cause mass extinctions through negotiation. It was done by annihilation. The men in mankind took what they wanted, including women. Random sexual encounters commonly happened because power was the law. Children needed to be raised by many because there were no institutional delineations—that came 290,000 years later with farming and land ownership.
Yet political systems and religions prefer to paint a past picture of humble creatures that peacefully conform when historicity, we were about clubs and guerrilla tactics. In hunter gather days, hunting was not the danger. The leading cause of death among men was violence. Sound familiar? It is hard to accept that our ancestors wiped out their own relatives through genocide.
The Bright Spot
However, take heart, there’s a simple solution—emotional maturity. We’ve been civilized for only 10,000 years, as marked by agrarian society a mere 5% of our time as modern Home Sapiens. Rationalizing what we believe is normal but instead of finding people to help confirm we are right, like a political party or a single internet proof. Evolve emotional conscience and broaden the perspective. Becoming cognizant of how the primate brain works. Then honor our bipedality, opposable thumbs, and intelligence by striving for a greater purpose. Launch it from inside your own back yard to lead others as better stewards. Because all animals, plants and humans, must coexist for our long-term survival.
Evolve emotionally to the next level and save the planet’s biodiversity by understanding human weaknesses. As there is toxicity in relationships never to be accepted, the same holds true for Mother Earth. We need to protect her as we do ourselves by giving up bad habits for new ideas and working together with effort and self-discipline. Historically humans became cooperative hunters and wiped-out predators. Using similar collaboration for a greater good, we can save the planet that sustains our species. Framing decisions with an emotional maturity that honors our divine uniqueness, truly makes us civilized.
Kevin j Palmer
writer rebel producer poet
