Darwin’s Liver, and other lessons from the internal Body Politic
It is incredible how within the micro we can discern truths and patterns that help us make sense of the macro. Within the atom we can behold the universe and within the maturation of an individual we can clearly witness unfolding patterns of the evolution of human society. Do we not see in the individual how we begin as a single celled organism and begin to grow into a morass of undifferentiated cells subsequently evolving into organs that themselves create a higher level of organization in the form of organ systems? These organ systems, of course, then interact at a higher level of complexity and integration in the form of our bodies. What is remarkable is that at one level of organization it is virtually impossible to see the higher level if viewed from the perspective of that level alone.
From the perspective of the lungs, the existence of a cardio-pulmonary system would not be easily apparent unless view that from a higher level of order. Is it really, then, that much of a stretch to imagine that there may be even higher orders of complexity? Is it possible to think that, just as the various organs form a larger collective with abilities that could far surpass any given organ in isolation, that as a human society we could actually form this sort of a higher level of functioning far surpassing the capacity of one individual? And that perhaps the magnitude of order that separates the functioning of one individual organ from the functioning of a human body could be mirrored with the functioning of the collective human organism?
As such…when we look at the evolution of a human from the selfishness of childhood into the impetuousness of adolescence and eventually into the maturity of adulthood, is it possible that human civilization follows a similar pattern? When we carry the selfishness of our childhood into our relationships as adults those relationships tend to be damaging and hurtful. As a human society, can it be said that we now need to shed ourselves from the selfishness of childhood, from the impetuousness of adolescence, and evolve into the maturity of the coming of age of human society? Can it be said that the parallel to the harmful selfish relationship of an individual adult can find its parallel in the relationship human society now has between nations and with the environment? I would say that our collective body has matured into an adult and it is now time to evolve emotionally as a human society. To transcend the limitations of narrow-minded nationalism and to break free from the shackles of conflict and competition as a means of progress. Competition is essentially a redundant method and yet virtually all of our systems are based on it! We create systems that ensure the inevitability of conflict and competition, but who is to say that this current system that was conceived in an era with completely antiquated assumptions has any value for our future civilization? Competition does not help with the growth of society any more than our organs would help with the progress of our body by sequestering and hoarding plasma. This only makes sense if you really do believe that you are an island unto yourself…a belief that this little blogger clearly does not hold.