Climate Crisis: Code Red for Humanity and Our Home Planet

On the origin of the extinction of the (human) species

“…In sum, cooperation and competition among human beings are present at least since our hunter-gatherer ancestors, acting together to maintain the homeostasis of our species, maximizing survival, thrive, reproduction, and affiliative relationships (Apicella & Silk, 2019;Burkart et al, 2014;Gilbert, 2021;Hamilton, 1964;Kristensen et al, 2022;Murase et al, 2022;Paine, 2020;Trivers, 1971;Wu & Wong, 2022). However, while for our hunter-gatherer ancestors' the cooperation/competition ratio appeared to be balanced, the reproductive success and globalization of the human species seems to be enhancing competition and exploitative strategies at an unprecedent rate, many times at the expense of cooperation efforts, impacting on the interpersonal relationships with both non-relatives and relatives (Becker et al, 2021;Brozović, 2023;Buss, 2019;Gilbert, 2021;Gross & De Dreu, 2019;Johansen, 2023;Raven, 2022;Turchin, 2007;Wu & Wong, 2022).…”

“…Evolutionary Theory argues that these abilities, fueled by communication skills and intra/interspecies interactions, were probably maintained and evolved to support homeostasis in response to ancestrally-based problems to the extent that fitness was enhanced in changing environments (Combarnous, & Nguyen, 2020;Hein et al, 2016;Higgs & Lehman, 2015). Despite this, humans seem to be evolving in a way that fosters their extinction, with trade-off decisions that maximize thrive at the expense of the survival of other species and even at the expense of their own survival and of their offspring (e.g., planetary health crisis) (Farrel et al, 2019;Gilbert, 2021;Johansen, 2023;Pinto et al, 2023). Moreover, as a social species, humans seem also to be making trade-off decisions that increase thrive at the expense of relationships with others, from coworkers, colleagues, friends, even family members (Gilbert, 2021;Wu & Wong, 2022).…”

“…This is evident in relationships between and within both non-relatives (e.g., rival populations or neighborhoods disputing a territory; employes or organizations disputing for a higher rank position on the market) and relatives (e.g., spouses quarrel for the split of goods after a divorce or brothers and sisters battle for the split of goods after the death of their parents) (Gilbert, 2021;Ribeiro da Silva et al, 2015;Gross & De Dreu, 2019;Wu & Wong, 2022). In a way or another, in-group and out-group competition is affecting the interpersonal relationships between humans in several settings across the globe (e.g., community, familiar, organizational, political), increasing polarization and promoting a rapid fission-fusion dynamic pattern of groups and, eventually, a societal collapse (Becker et al, 2021;Brozović, 2023;Buss, 2019;Gilbert, 2021;Gross & De Dreu, 2019;Johansen, 2023;Raven, 2022;Turchin, 2007;Wu & Wong, 2022).…”

“…Although this seems to be an evolutionary success, if we take a closer look, we are an extremely cost-expensive species, for our planet in general and for most living species (Harper, 2021;Ravens, 2022). While the life expectancy for humans is around 72 years (increasing to 84/85 years in developed countries), which is negligible considering the age of Earth, the average ecological footprint per person is massive (around 2.7 global hectares; Harper, 2021;Johansen, 2023;Lamb et al, 2020;Raven, 2022;Roser et al, 2013). Humans' actions are causing catastrophic changes in the planet and their living species, from microorganisms to multicellular species (Baker et al, 2022;Barnosky et al, 2011;Cavicchioli et al, 2019;Combarnous, & Nguyen, 2020;Garnett & Balmford, 2022;Harper, 2021;Raven, 2022;Telenti et al, 2021;Wu et al, 2016).…”

“…What seems to be happening to the human species is that our instincts are becoming unbalanced and anti-evolutionary, which seems to be fostering our own extinction (Raven, 2022). In detail, our species is favoring thriving instincts (to achieve power, territory, money, …) at the expense of our survival and the survival of our offspring (as we are destroying the conditions of our planet that allow us and our offspring to survive in it, driving other species to extinction too) and at the expense of relationships with others, both non-relatives and relatives (Baker et al, 2022;Becker et al, 2021;Brozović, 2023;Buss, 2019;Farrel et al, 2019;Garnett & Balmford, 2022;Gilbert, 2021;Gross & De Dreu, 2019;Harper, 2021;Johansen, 2023;Pinto et al, 2023;Raven, 2022;Telenti et al, 2021;Turchin, 2007;van Valkengoed & Steg, 2019;Wu & Wong, 2022;Wu et al, 2016).…”