We Did Not Evolve to Be Selfish—and Humans Are Increasingly Aware We Can Choose How Our Cultures Can Evolve
In our present era, humanity stands at a crossroads in its cultural evolution, a pivotal juncture that holds the power to mold our long-term destiny or potentially undermine it. We find ourselves on a trajectory marked by self-destructive tendencies, leading to a complex crisis encompassing unsustainable economic conditions, escalating climate catastrophes, and the looming specter of a catastrophic war, as highlighted in the 2023 Global Risks Report by the World Economic Forum. The changes imperative for future generations to thrive likely demand a substantial shift towards enhanced human and planetary connections while distancing ourselves from exploitative individualism.
The silver lining in this dilemma is that humans have primarily evolved as cooperative and "prosocial" beings. Consequently, delving into our cultural evolution as a species can unearth valuable insights illuminating the path forward. A pivotal paper, "Multilevel Cultural Evolution: From New Theory to Practical Applications," published in April 2023 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), centers on this perspective. Rather than fixating solely on our genetic and physical evolution, this groundbreaking paper explores the relatively under-discussed field of cultural evolution.
The paper's senior author, David Sloan Wilson, an esteemed professor emeritus of biological sciences at Binghamton University, New York, underscores that this article aims to demonstrate that a synthesis akin to what has already transpired in the study of biological evolution is now underway in the realm of human cultural evolution, promising extensive practical implications.
Cultural evolution provides a lens through which we can perceive ourselves as neither intrinsically cooperative nor entirely selfish. Our disposition for cooperation requires the nurturing of the right environmental conditions. This approach allows us to recognize the common factors that span all facets of our lives, from our families and neighborhoods to schools, businesses, and beyond, operating across all scales, from small groups to the entire planet. This perspective empowers us significantly.
As an illustration, Wilson points to a program designed in 2010 for at-risk high school students at Regents Academy in Binghamton, New York. By fostering the appropriate social environment, students who had previously failed three or more classes in the previous year performed as proficiently as the average high school student in the district just one year later.
The foundation of evolutionary science is built upon variation, selection, and replication, a triad that is equally applicable to the evolution of culture, affecting everything from economics and business to engineering, arts, and societal functioning. Understanding how cultural evolution occurs enables us to harness it for the greater good, fostering a more equitable and sustainable world.
Despite the centrality of evolution in biological sciences, it has rarely infiltrated discussions related to culture and the contemporary issues facing society. However, as psychologist Steven C. Hayes, a co-author of the paper and president of the Institute for Better Health, asserts, multidimensional and multilevel evolutionary theory is now prepared to enter the broader cultural discourse.
The paper on multicultural cultural evolution aims to address this gap, emphasizing that while humanity has witnessed atrocities such as slavery and environmental destruction, we must also acknowledge our capacity for positive change. It's time for us to choose to evolve consciously, employing the tools of evolutionary science for this purpose.
The paper also underscores a critical point: humans, at their core, have evolved through cooperation and are fundamentally prosocial. This involves caring for the welfare of others and engaging in behaviors that support the greater good. Cultural evolution highlights three crucial aspects: prosociality, social control enforcing prosocial behavior, and symbolic thought, encompassing a catalog of adaptable symbols with shared meanings.
Hayes has dedicated four decades to developing Contextual Behavioral Science and believes that thriving nearly always necessitates collaboration. He emphasizes that moving towards selfishness and narcissism leads to unhappiness, and there is a profound yearning for love, connection, and belonging present from birth.
In our current world, issues like narcissism, loneliness, and harm to others, often intertwined with the negative aspects of social media, can find solutions in prioritizing the development of interpersonal relationships and communities. This approach tends to yield improved mental health.
The paper also explores the potential of multilevel cultural evolutionary theory to provide an alternative to the prevailing "greed is good" economic narrative. It builds upon the work of political scientist Elinor Ostrom, demonstrating that groups can successfully self-manage common-pool resources without succumbing to self-serving behaviors when specific design principles are applied. This dispels the myth of the "tragedy of the commons," asserting that privatization and top-down regulation aren't always necessary for resource management.
In conclusion, this paper on multicultural cultural evolution urges us to recognize that modern evolutionary science can reshape how we understand and approach our societal and cultural challenges. We can evolve as a species by fostering cooperation, empathy, and the greater good, creating a more just and sustainable world. This transformation calls for a principled alternative that prioritizes trust, sharing, and cooperation, countering the narrative that prioritizes selfishness. It's a call for humanity to "evolve on purpose," using the tools of evolutionary science to chart a more promising path for ourselves and future generations.
🔭 This summary was human-edited with AI-assist.
