If you could direct evolution or the development of creation what would you direct?

[donttread]

Or put another way where do you envision progression from here? I for one believe, even hope that present day humans are not the end product of creation or evolution, this post is probably for people who accept that possibility.
So what might be next. It seems to me that we are , as a species, more violent, petty, controlling and greedy than we now need to be. Instincts and drives required to survive which we still need, but at a much lower level that even 10,000 years ago. In short, like with our diets, culture and the soft life , change far faster than our genes and base drives do.
So what might be next? Does the nature of the creature matter? I once suggested that "the meek shall inherent the earth" might mean the insects. But of course they are anything by meek.
Are we "it"? Will a better us develop? Does it even matter how violent we are , or what conditions we live under as long as the species survives? Could we be thrown back to the stone age by our own hand or $#@!yness? Might we survive another 1,000 years and disperse tot he stars forming unique cultures on every planet we colonized? Will we be a globally orgainzed animal by then ( it certainly looks like the direction we are heading) or allowed to be more localist by more peace and better technology.?
Will the chimps, the Dolphins, The Whales, or other current creatures gat a crack at world dominance?
Thoughts?

[Lummy]

I have none. Too highly evolved for primate trifling.

[donttread]

I have none. Too highly evolved for primate trifling.

So the planet will always belong to the apes? You said more than you thought you did. Or I am overly philosophical today

[FindersKeepers]

Or put another way where do you envision progression from here? I for one believe, even hope that present day humans are not the end product of creation or evolution, this post is probably for people who accept that possibility.
So what might be next. It seems to me that we are , as a species, more violent, petty, controlling and greedy than we now need to be. Instincts and drives required to survive which we still need, but at a much lower level that even 10,000 years ago. In short, like with our diets, culture and the soft life , change far faster than our genes and base drives do.

The instinct to survive is still strong within us and we have no reduced need for it. It's still the catalyst by which we continue to invent better ways of living and staying healthy. The day we start to lose it is the day we begin to go extinct.

So what might be next? Does the nature of the creature matter? I once suggested that "the meek shall inherent the earth" might mean the insects. But of course they are anything by meek.

The meek will never inherit the earth - not unless the strong kill one another off, and if that happens, those who survive will soon die under the rule of the meek.

Are we "it"? Will a better us develop? Does it even matter how violent we are , or what conditions we live under as long as the species survives? Could we be thrown back to the stone age by our own hand or $#@!yness? Might we survive another 1,000 years and disperse tot he stars forming unique cultures on every planet we colonized? Will we be a globally orgainzed animal by then ( it certainly looks like the direction we are heading) or allowed to be more localist by more peace and better technology.?
Will the chimps, the Dolphins, The Whales, or other current creatures gat a crack at world dominance?
Thoughts?

Humans will survive and continue to improve. We have some backward nations, to be sure, but they, too, will evolve.

Now, if I was in control of evolution -- real evolution, not social evolution -- I'd ensure that humans evolved to the point where they could fly.

That's all I want.

[Just AnotherPerson]

Well I think it can go two ways. We pollute our earth so bad and poison our own water and air to the point that the earth no longer sustains life like ours. Then perhaps millions of years later the earth will recover, and plant life will once again become the dominant life form on the planet. Then the whole thing starts all over again.

Then there is the other possibility that humans wake up to reality, stop killing each other with war. Stop destroying the very earth that gives us our life, and we evolve into better human beings, and then all of life on the planet will once again flourish. Corporations will stop holding back the planet, and our technologies will evolve into the future. We will become highly advanced societies. Electricity will be generated without poisoning the earth. We will develope ways to clean up all of the pollution that we have already inflicted on the planet. The waters become clean, and pure. The ocean life is teaming, we have replanted all of our forests. Animals and insects and plants are thriving and humans are as well.

[Chris]

Evolution is not progressive. It is not designed. It is not planned.

[donttread]

The instinct to survive is still strong within us and we have no reduced need for it. It's still the catalyst by which we continue to invent better ways of living and staying healthy. The day we start to lose it is the day we begin to go extinct.


The meek will never inherit the earth - not unless the strong kill one another off, and if that happens, those who survive will soon die under the rule of the meek.


Humans will survive and continue to improve. We have some backward nations, to be sure, but they, too, will evolve.

Now, if I was in control of evolution -- real evolution, not social evolution -- I'd ensure that humans evolved to the point where they could fly.

That's all I want.

I did not mean that the survival instinct is not needed and you make a very interesting point. However, as I see it that instinct has morphed to straight up greed in too many of us. A greed with no end. Enough is never enough. Hence slavery, serfdom, factory farm conditions etc. Buying influence is a perfect example. If you or your corporation can afford to buy federal influence ( Think Monsanto, drug companies, etc. pretty much anything that the FDA is in charge of regulating, which now includes tobacco) you probably don't NEED to buy the influence. But they do so anyway.


Flying would be fantastic! I'm on board.

[donttread]

Well I think it can go two ways. We pollute our earth so bad and poison our own water and air to the point that the earth no longer sustains life like ours. Then perhaps millions of years later the earth will recover, and plant life will once again become the dominant life form on the planet. Then the whole thing starts all over again.

Then there is the other possibility that humans wake up to reality, stop killing each other with war. Stop destroying the very earth that gives us our life, and we evolve into better human beings, and then all of life on the planet will once again flourish. Corporations will stop holding back the planet, and our technologies will evolve into the future. We will become highly advanced societies. Electricity will be generated without poisoning the earth. We will develope ways to clean up all of the pollution that we have already inflicted on the planet. The waters become clean, and pure. The ocean life is teaming, we have replanted all of our forests. Animals and insects and plants are thriving and humans are as well.

I've sometimes briefly wondered if it all could of happened before. If we were knocked back to the stone age the memories of other times would become legends, then tall tales , then forgotten. Not likely but it's a great sci-fi plot and the being knocked back part is theoretically possible. I mean something as mundane as a solar flare wiping out our grid has an incredible estimated death rate in one year. That alone wouldn't take us all the way back, but then other events could compound it.

[donttread]

Evolution is not progressive. It is not designed. It is not planned.

It's a philosophical question Chris. But non fundamentalist religions might disagree with you. Believing that a Supreme being creates via evolution.

[Captdon]

Humans aren't going to get better. Whatever we do, it won't ever be for the greater good. If the planet starts to be uninhabitable, we will all die. The planet has more people each year but sustainable resources might not be able to keep up. The poor countries go first.

The green people won't live any longer than anyone else.

"Only the Strong Survive"- Jerry Butler.