Darwinism can be summarized as a combination of five theoretical aspects:
- Evolution. This is the theory that the world is not constant or recently created nor perpetually cycling, but rather is steadily changing, and that organisms are transformed in time.
- Common descent. This is the theory that every group of organisms descended from a common ancestor, and that all groups of organisms, including animals, plants, and microorganisms, ultimately go back to a single origin of life on earth.
- Multiplication of species. This theory explains the origin of the enormous organic diversity. It postulates that species multiply, either by splitting into daughter species or by “budding”, that is, by the establishment of geographically isolated founder populations that evolve into new species.
- Gradualism. According to this theory, evolutionary change takes place through the gradual change of populations and not by the sudden production of new individuals that represent a new type.
- Natural selection. According to this theory, evolutionary change comes about through the abundant production of genetic variation in every generation. The relatively few individuals who survive, owing to a particularly well-adapted combination of inheritable characters, give rise to the next generation.
Figuring out what Darwinism is, is necessary to have any intelligent discussion about the state of the human race. While I am of the mindset that the human race has been polluted in such a way as to reward a variety of weak genetic traits, the truth is that humans may have already been knee deep into a course of self-destruction right around the time Darwin was creating his invaluable exploration of natural selection.
I look at the state of the American people as well as the state of the world and realize that while the rest of the world gets harder, the US and its citizens become softer. Softer in both mind and body, and as many other empires crumbled before, so too will the United States. Possibly very soon.
According to an article I read, the human race is no longer evolving. That part of Darwinism is dying if not dead. We can no longer believe that we can adapt to extreme changes to our environment. Of course, over time, that may HAVE to change, but clearly as we become more and more dependent on technology, our need to adapt becomes less and less important to our species. Unfortunately, the irony is evolution brought about both our ability to create technology, as well as our growing dependence on technology in the first place.
Of course, not all our problems as a species can be easily explained by pointing our pointy fingers toward the demise of evolution as the dominant theory of civilization. I believe that a growing trend of “social responsibility” is also to blame. I can’t even begin to express how often i either hear or read about someone complaining about how they were shafted in this or that exercise. Worst are those people who have enjoyed decades of relative comfort then things get tough (or downright impossible) and they fold like a cheap card table. Then, when they have sunk as low as they can, begin blaming other people for their problems.
It kills me a little bit every time I see someone who can’t cowboy the fuck up. It kills me when someone lifts all their problems and dumps them on one person because they are unable to look within themselves and figure out that their problems begin and end inside themselves.
To the people who have lost their jobs… cowboy the fuck up.
To the people who have lost loved ones… cowboy the fuck up.
To the people who can’t find love… cowboy the fuck up.
To the people who think all their problems are someone else’s fault…
COWBOY.
THE.
FUCK.
UP!
And stop polluting my internets with your bullshit tales of woe.
Can we also add whiners and the lazy to your list? You know, these women in my neighborhood are boo-hooing because their SUV is costing their husband hundreds of dollars to fill the gas tank and their pedicures went up from $75 to $100 bucks? Oh, wait. How the hell would a princess Cowboy the fuck up? I bet they’re incapable.
Humans have stopped evolving? I haven’t heard that before. Is that even possible? Yea, I guess many weak genetic traits are rewarded and able to continue on in our species, so survival of the fittest in the purest sense isn’t exactly how it works anymore in humans. But the world, and the humans in it will always continue to change and evolve… maybe in ways we can’t see being smack dab in the middle of teeny tiny now. Maybe the “fittest” means something different now.
But yea, more to your main point;
“… their problems begin and end inside themselves.” That’s the key right there. If only we could all truly realize that. 🙂
Just in case… here are a few of the articles I read that suggest that humans are no longer evolving…
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/today/tomfeilden/2008/10/is_human_evolution_over.html
and
http://forums.canadiancontent.net/science-environment/77832-human-evolution-has-stopped-says.html
In that first article it says, “These days almost everyone gets to hand their genes on through their children.” I understand where he is going with that, and he makes a reasonable point, but I still don’t buy it that evolution has stopped in humans. Just because somebody who is genetically/physically weak is able to pass on their genes which then prevents those genes from being weeded out doesn’t mean we aren’t evolving in some way we can’t see right now, right? I mean, who defines “fit” in survival of the fittest? If someone is able to pass on their genes for what ever reason, aren’t they “fit”?
Hey, nice new look, by the way.
Genes are always going to be passed down from generation to generation. The continued merging of the gene pool is inescapable and has little to do with the state of evolution per se.
Evolution is the adaptation to external stimuli that we undergo over a period of time. If there is no longer a clear and present danger to the species (too hot or too cold or too dark or too bright… etc), then the species stops evolving.
Humans are no longer threatened by such stimuli. Haven’t been for centuries. It will take at least a 1000 years of data to be sure we have stopped evolving.. taking a snapshot of the last 500 years of civilization is no way to parse a meaningful answer to the question of continued evolution, but all things point to a slowing down (like putting a snail on slo mo) the process.
The passing along of weaker genetic code is a separate issue all together. The problem is whenever I start writing about genetics and the failure of our species over the last 100 years, someone invariably cries, “EUGENICS IS THE BASIS OF HITLER’S MASTER PLAN!”
Okay, I think I see what you’re saying now! Although, there still could be a danger to humans that simply isn’t as obvious to us as too light, too dark etc. I guess like you say, it’ll take 1000 years or more to really know. And yea, I noticed that many of the commenters on both of those articles pointed out that evolution and survival of the fittest are not exactly the same thing. It’s an interesting discussion!