As humans, we have reached a point of evolutionary death. Advances in healthcare ensure that no longer do just the "strong" humans survive. With transplant surgeries, antibiotics, asthma medications, and various other medical interventions the weaker members of our community are given a viable opportunity to breed and prosper. In the past, humans with diseases and disabilities would have died. This means that from a physiological stance, humans today are much weaker than the humans of the past. Instead of allowing nature to take it's inevitable course, medical science allows us to kindly prolong our lives and the lives of our loved ones.
Our societal evolution has allowed humans to ease into a more philosophical kind of existence. Instead of running around the jungle attempting to clunk an animal over the head for dinner, we spend our time reading books, attending schools, buying products, and accumulating income to make our lives more comfortable. We live the lifestyle of interchangeable parts, automated windows, and self-cleaning ovens. Why should we breed for health- characteristics instead of love when money can buy cures and treatments?
The only danger in the de-evolution of our health as humans, is that viruses are continuing to shift themselves to become more powerful and deadly. Without strong immune systems, the human race is increasingly vulnerable to new viral threats. This is an issue that should not be taken lightly, as it is estimated that the last Influenza Pandemic killed around 30 million people in 1919.
Perhaps to strengthen immunity, mothers should seriously consider the positive effects of the transferred biological protection received from breast feeding. We can't change our genetic makeup, but we can optimize the effectiveness of our body's systems by maintaining a healthy weight and eating a balanced diet rich in vitamins and minerals.
One of the unavoidable and unchangeable truths of life dictates that every last one of us is going to die. As humans, our kindness and compassion has evolved tremendously. Of course, our newspapers are still filled with images of un-necessary violence and injustice, but most of us are good people who just want to be happy. Unfortunately sickness and death are parts of life.
In my opinion, humans will have shown a tremendous positive evolution when healthcare is made available to all people at a minimal cost. How can we call ourselves an evolved species, when some people are denied the most basic of human rights? Instead of leaving our sick or elderly in the middle of the woods to be devoured by predators, we allow various privatized health corporations to dump our destitute on the street corners of skid-row and then we rationalize away our discomfort by abrogating all forms of personal responsibility.
I keep secretly hoping that by the year 2012, all people will somehow become compassionate. I've read and studied the varying doomsday theories which speak of a major shift in global consciousness around this time. I'm keeping my fingers crossed. Hopefully NASA is wrong about the poles reversing, and even though some might be privy to the idea of Jesus floating back down to earth, all that biblical rhetoric gives me a headache. If humans develop the ability to empathize, I think that would be enough of an evolution to entirely change the course our future.
