Where Darwin Went Wrong

Survival of the fittest, evolving with the world to become more efficient and rising above the other animals. Sounds so simple and natural and as a race, we seem to definitely be at the top but I fear we've opened our parachute and are descending slowly.

At first it is the abilities that make you stand out from the others:- strength, agility, intelligence, size, dexterity ... but when you become so far above the rest, those traits become redundant. Can anyone honestly say they can take on a lion bare handed? With a spear? How about with your neighbours? I would put money that most wouldn't yet our Neanderthal ancestors were breathing this stuff. So we're superior to them?

We have traded most of the traits to rise above other animals through intelligence, we don't need greater numbers or strength if we can outsmart the opponent. Next time a lion comes to attack you, a shotgun will decide the outcome and will deter any other wannabe hero lions.

Intelligence is how we have survived. We have the ability to create the most wondrous inventions which can be used for good or ill depending on the morals of the user. We have become physically more lazy and take many things for granted, without even pausing to blink but has our greater intelligence actually retarded many people?

With our technology, the need to learn to progress isn't seen as a necessary drive as there is nothing to threaten us. There are plenty of able bodied people wearing white coats and pocket-protectors who are working for us and creating the goods that we will purchase to entertain us, to prevent disease and to transport us wherever we wish... so why should we bother with such mental work? We can simply work 9-5 in any fashion and bring in the money to enjoy ourselves. Heck, we don't even actually have to work! The state will pay us to be able to enjoy ourselves! All the other workers can pay us!

Slowly the moral pillars holding society decay. Most of the progress made is through good intentions - scientists and engineers enjoy their work and love to bring their creations to life because they are beneficial and helpful. Morality should be a compass that guides us to be the best of creatures and to create a better world for all.

However the other week I thought the world was coming to an end. The end of humankind. Not immediately, but definitely on the horizon.

It didn't involve nuclear weapons, natural disasters, chemicals or aliens but was my loss of faith in humanity and how we could possibly go on.

My faith in humanity is optimistic, some of my friends would call me overly optimistic, but I truly believe that goodness will prevail, morals will stand and righteousness will win... but every so often, something will hit me and make me close my eyes and wonder if I'm right.

Last week the news blazed with shock at a father, which is nothing exciting, except for the fact he was 13 years old. The mother was a 15 year old.

Just writing that has momentarily left me speechless again as I just boil with outrage at the collapse of morality that is slowly pervading our society.

The story was that the boy, Alfie, was actually 12 years of age when Chantelle became pregnant. No matter how you view that, seen from whatever angle, orientation and squinting through jam jars, none would make you see that as a normal thing to happen.

A 12 year old boy who doesn't even look as if he's even reached puberty has fathered a baby with a girl that is rumoured to be as promiscuous as a box of chocolates.

Just what do you expect the baby will grow up to? How can you have hope for future generations if they are in an environment where such events can occur? What were the parents of these children thinking? How can they allow such behaviour? Why did they think this was acceptable?

So many questions and more but all of which will remain unanswered as it seems events such as this is not that uncommon and the outrage of people do not even register on their moral radar, perhaps nowadays they are born defective.

A few days later, reports come out suggesting that the boy may not in fact be the father but there are several other potential boys not that much older and it was Chantelle's parents who had suggested to frame Alfie for the shock value and increased media revenue.

Again, I have paused in stunned silence at this and cannot write the emotions that I feel. Despicable is probably the most diplomatic of language that I can say and I daren't say anymore.

Back to my point, would such people be successful in natural selection? One would hope not but with the increasing rate of such incidents, one has to wonder. Have people just degenerated into greed to such an extent that morality has no governance or even any presence? What will these people bring to the future generations, the future of our world? What kind of example are they setting to the young and impressionable? Have we gone so far with our intelligence that we are degrading the people into mindless drones that are falling back to primal urges who do not think of consequences?

Our morality has broken evolution. If we were to follow it's course, such people would have been culled and sometimes I wish that I were like these people, without morals and with a shotgun. What can we do to stem this? In my frustration, I would simply neuter children at birth and reverse it on assessment of the child as they turn 18 and so selectively progress mankind through the genes of those who wish to touch the heavens.

I'm sighing as I am coming to an end of my rant, the injustice of the world must be weathered and just hope that it doesn't chip away at your own morals.