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%HUMAN EVOLUTION SURVIVAL SPACE SHIP EARTH KILL+040212 %ORGANIC WASTES FOODS MOUNTAIN TOPS COLD LIFELESS+040212 %GROUP DEFENSE STRATEGIES COMMUNITIES GANGS TRIBES+040212 %ISOLATION GROUPS FLOCK CLUTCH SCHOOL HERDS CELLS+040212 %ALIKE DIFFERENT ALIEN ENEMY LABEL EVIL DOMINATION 040212 We humans have evolved within Space Ship Earth in competitive environments; e.g., among plants and animals which sacrifice/eat each other's bodies in order to survive. It has often been kill and eat; or be killed and- eaten. Animals kill and eat plants/animals. Plants often depend upon the organic materials of dead plants/animals in order to be able to grow --- and sometimes kill other plants/animals in order to survive. Some plants may be able survive in an environment which is devoid of organic- matter from previous plants and/or animals. Few animals are able to survive in an environment which is devoid of organic matter from previous plants and/or animals. To see this, just look around on the tops of mountains which rise over 4,000 meters above sea level or at places which are within about 1,000 kilometers of the North Pole or the South Pole. Many species of animals have survived and evolved by virtue of group defensive strategies. Members of a species have not survived in isolation; but within groups. There are all kinds of names for groups of animals which are alike: e.g., "a flock of birds", "a clutch of chicks", "a school of fish", "a heard of deer", "a tribe of natives", "a gang of adolescents", "a class of students", "a union of laborers", "a congress of teachers", "a troop of Boy Scouts", "an army of Frenchmen", "a Christian Church", "a Christian Crusade", "a Protestant Denomination", "an ecumenical institute", etc. Each defensive group assembles on the basis of the members of the group being close to identical in terms of: genes, means of communication, language, words used, songs sung, training, acculturation, culture, concepts used, parables- told, stories told, similes used, metaphors used, scriptures trusted, rituals performed, etc. Creatures that perceive themselves and each other as "being alike" have defended themselves against other creatures that are perceived/labeled as being "different". Creatures kill and eat "different creatures" far more often than they kill and eat "like creatures". The more "intelligent" creatures have learned to and are able to make "finer" distinctions between creatures which are "alike" and creatures which are "different". Homo sapiens have excelled in defining and making use of very "fine" distinctions among homo sapiens in terms of: skin color, hair color, eye color, head- shapes, body shapes, eye shapes, eye orientations, tribal- characteristics, previous training, education, clothes worn, manners of grooming, language, dialects, religious- beliefs, religious rituals, political rituals, etc. Such strategies have been effective in protecting members of one genetic species against the attacks of members of other genetic species. Such strategies carried into the homo sapiens species have NOT proven effective in protecting the members of the homo sapiens species against slightly "different" members of the homo- sapiens species. The ability to label "different" members of the homo- sapiens species as "different" in very "fine" ways has led to formalized: prejudice, antagonism, tribal wars, inter- cultural wars, slavery, religious wars, inter national- wars, civil wars within nations, cultic wars, caste- systems, athletic wars, weapons of mass destruction, and defenses through mutually assured destruction within Space Ship Earth. "Men" dominating "women" has NOT proven helpful. "Men" dominating "children" has NOT proven helpful. "Loyal supporters of The Domination System" have NOT proven to be helpful. "Collusive Games of Mutual Self Deception" have NOT proven to be helpful. "The Fallen Powers That Be" have NOT proven to be helpful. To continue to be "Homo Sapiens" we need to learn and know more helpful strategies for protecting ALL of our personal AND communal integrities! - - - - - - - - - - - - - - The above essay was written early in the morning of February 12, 2004 "prompted" by having read twelve hours before, the article: "Father Knows Best --- Fundamentalism and Our Apocalyptic Future" by Bernard Brandon Scott in "The Fourth R" of November December 2003 as published by The Westar Institute of Santa Rosa, CA 95406. Probably none of the writings references at the conclusion of the article had been previously read, and possibly none of the writings of the authors noted at the end of the article had been previously read. Draw your own conclusions! (c) 2005 by Paul A. Smith in (On Being Yourself, Whole and Healthy) ==========================================================