Extra Credit Assignment
Anthropology 201: Human Origins and Evolution
What does evolution* have to do with our current cultural and/or political climate pre- and post-Trump’s election?
Or
What insight can evolutionary thinking bring to bear on our current cultural and/or political climate pre- and post-Trump’s election?
Or
Can evolutionary thinking help us?
*the definition(s) of evolution that we use in this course, not the poetic use
In at least 300 words, answer one of those questions up there (or something related that I didn’t spell out explicitly but that compels you to write). Whatever you write, be sure to apply your understanding of evolution to some sort of analysis of what has transpired during the presidential campaigns and/or since the election of Trump to be President of the United States of America, or be sure to apply your understanding of evolution to draft some aspect of the way forward. Guidelines: Although I’m asking you to write only a page at minimum (300 words minimum), begin with an introduction, make sure each sentence logically follows the one before, and then provide something in the way of a conclusion. Check your spelling and grammar. Write coherently. Demonstrate that you understand evolution, or don’t demonstrate that you don’t understand it properly. Finally, this is a chance to rant if you wish, but if you do you must rant coherently and excellently.
Responses
1
The
Perception of Evolution in our Society
The recent presidential race has taken the
entire world by surprise to say the least. For the longest time, the entire
world was hoping that the Trump campaign would be a joke, that the bubbling
hatred and xenophobia would fade away, that the hate crimes would decrease.
People are shocked at the response, left astounded, wondering (as SNL poked fun
at) ‘is America really racist?’. Some attribute Trump’s win to his unconventional
approach and tactics. Some argue he’s a babbling baboon who doesn’t have any
so-called ‘tactics’. And there are some who will go to their graves swearing
that Trump will be a success with his “kick-ass attitude”. What shocked me the
most, however, was not what Trump was saying, but rather the reaction to his
words.
People have been using Trump’s words and
beliefs to justify hate crimes. There is no doubt that white superiority
beliefs have been, and will probably continue to be, on the rise since Trump
first ran for presidency. The false claims behind these hateful thought
processes have been justified by evolution. Simply put, the belief of natural
selection has led some to believe that the white race is more evolved than
other races, therefore the best race. This thought process stems from the 19th
century, when European nations ventured to other parts of the world and deemed
the locals primitive savages. As Angela Davis explains in an interview with
Anna Deavere Smith, race was invented to justify racism. (Race isn't real
although it's implications in racism are, but ethnicity is real, which is what
accounts for the diversity in humans).
Evolution, when thought of in this manner,
damages relationships to people. Because it is thought of as simply survival of
the fittest, people may view themselves as the ‘fittest’, and others as
inferior due their origin. However, evolution is more than just natural
selection and helpless women clinging to only the kick-ass men. Evolution is a
lot more complex, and gives us insight to our rich past which is only a minute
fraction of the Earth’s beautiful history; it is not a justification for
bigotry and racism.
Evolution, when properly understood, helps us
simply because it allows us to question and seek answers instead of feeding on
ignorance. It gives us an appreciation of how far we’ve come, how much we’ve
changed, how much we can change.
- Anonymous
--------------------
1 This interview was performed verbatim
by the talented performer Anna Deavere Smith in her play Fires in the Mirror, 1992
2 A reference to a book Donald Trump
wrote, the name of which I do not know
**
2
After
Donald Trump had won the 2016 election, it is clear that something influenced
his winning. Not only did he make himself an enemy of many Americans, but he
also portrayed himself in a negative manner. But maybe his rude comments are
part of political evolution. Society is always undergoing change. These changes
can be a result of evolution. Technology is getting more advanced; medicine is
advancing so it would only make sense that politics are changing too.
Evolution
occurs when there is a mutation in an individual of a species. If this
variation helps the individual whether that be sexual, in the environment or
competing against other individuals, then the trait has a better chance of
being passed on. The mutation could or could not be passed onto the offspring.
But if the mutation ends up being beneficial over time it will be found in the
majority of the species’ genes. Donald Trump being elected for president is
equivalent to a mutation in politics. Trump could be good for the country. He
could fix the financial state of the country, help the unemployed get jobs,
help people in poverty and so much more. If he does well in his first term,
then he could be reelected, and if he continues to do beneficial things for the
country than someone with similar views of Trump could be elected after. Trump
could be the "mutation" that changes United States politics.
Donald
Trump could also be a mutation that does harm, has no effect on competition (in
this case other countries), or just does not get passed along. Like in
evolution some mutations go away. Trump and his absurd ideas may go away and
not continue through future generations. In this case, the species stays the
same. Trump being impeached or not reelected would keep American politics the
same.
No
one will know if Trump (the mutation) will evolve American politics. Some
mutations are good, other mutations are bad and others have no effect. Only
time will tell how Trump will evolve American politics.
- Andraya Ferraro
**
3
Can evolutionary–thinking help us?
The term and belief in “evolution” has served as the basis for many arguments
over the last hundreds of years. When combined with differences in opinion
along the topics of religious, scientific, and political ways of thought, it
seems everybody is going toe to toe to prove that they have all the one true
answer. Everybody on earth is entitled to his or her opinion, but this doesn’t
mean that everybody should voice it. The problem nowadays is that too many
people are going off ranting and rioting with their one minded way of thinking,
and not putting in the effort to do their homework first. If one is
attempting to win an argument with someone else, the very least that they could
do is completely understand everything there is to know about the subject. If
more people did the proper research before voicing their opinions, then there
would be much more productive and educational debates that would not become a
detriment to public viewers.
Growing up in the world of private catholic education has definitely given me
some bias when it comes to science versus religion. This is in no way stating
that my belief in God overpowers the facts brought forward by scientific
discovery. Rather that I chose to believe in what the Bible says, as well as
what science has to say about the creation of earth, man, and the world as we
see it. Part of being a confirmed catholic is to accept truths that science
states, and interpret in our own way. For instance, true Catholicism does not
teach that at a certain time on earth, a single man and woman roamed the earth
alone. The Bible is not a piece of literature that is meant to be interpreted
literally, instead it is supposed to be interpreted as a collection of stories
that have a much deeper and symbolic message; but trying to understand
everything written in the Bible is a strenuous and extensive research in of
itself. Unfortunately, there is always room for error in everything that man
does. There are those that take everything in the Bible word for word and
refute most of what science has come to either prove or disprove in regards to
their religion. Fortunately enough for myself I was able to witness a truly
fascinating and eye opening debate amongst Creationist Ken Ham, and pop culture
icon and renowned scientist Bill Nye. In the debate, each opponent had a
certain time to plead their case to the audience in an attempt to prove that
they have the correct answers. The questions asked dealt with the existence of
God, the plausibility of Noah’s Ark, the age of the earth, and many more.
While each opponent has a high level of education and “proper” background, it
was very fascinating to see that whenever one of them was called out on
something, they acted like children trying to be the correct one.
How does this relate to political matters today? Well with all the country
tearing itself up over the past presidential election, I fear that not too many
people would be concerned right now with comeuppance of man arising from other
species. Right now groups are confusing the difference between protesting and
rioting. Perhaps the theory of evolution is not what we need to focus on right
now, but more of the thinking behind it. In the world of science, you have to
be able to have an open mind. You cannot simply label something as the truth
and then totally disregard everything else people say. Currently, people are
naming President Elect Trump as an egotistical, racist and overall bad man. But
for all of those that preach to be people who love one another but feel an
extreme hatred towards Trump, why is it right for them to hate and wrong for
him? People have already died in violent protests between Trump supporters and
non-supporters. This waste of human life can all be avoided if people are willing
to set aside their differences and focus on what they have in common; the
desire for peace. Do I personally believe in everything that Donald Trump
supports? Not necessarily. Do I believe in some of what he has to say? Yes. Is
he the most evil man ever to be created and run a country? No. Finally, do I
believe that Donald Trump will be a good President? Yes. Already, that last
comment can start to send negative emotions towards my character, but here me
out. As part of a religion that believes in accepting everyone for what they
believe in, I try to find the positives about this political situation, and
continue to have an open mind and accept the reality that Trump is president,
and that is the end of it. He is a very successful businessman, and potentially
going to run the country in a very different way. Change can be scary, but it
is necessary for progress in the modern world, so it is time for everyone to
enter the New Year with a new president, and fresh mindset. So can evolutionary
thinking help us? Only if we are willing to accept the unknown but take new
risks for the development and betterment of society as a whole.
- Anonymous
**
4
Can Evolutionary-Thinking Help Us Post
Election?
President
Elect, Donald Trump. This result shocked many in the nation, leaving many
critics to call the nation “The Divided States of America”. This change is
something that many Americans felt the country needed, whether they support
president elect Donald Trump or not. Many have adopted the saying, “it’s going
to get worse before it gets better”. This saying can be related to evolutionary
thinking, and how change over time can occur, and how something can start off
as a simple form, but then develop into something more complex.
These
election results needed to happen, because we as a nation needed to see how
divided we were. As a Muslim American, I am not at all happy with the election
results, and can only be thankful that I live in South Kingstown, Rhode Island,
where many of my neighbors and fellow citizens feel the same way, or else I
might have a harder time living in America. I feel like now that we know so
many people in our nation have a certain feeling towards certain things, these
things can be addressed, and it can help to educate all of our citizens.
Evolutionary thinking can help us understand this, because it started off
as something very simple, a man who was running for president, with certain
rhetoric that was very anti many things, but now it has changed into something
much more complex, that will cause us to hopefully, change for the better as a
nation after these 4 years are up. Had Hillary Clinton won, our nation would
have been 100% better off yes, but at least now we know how many of our fellow
citizens actually feel this way. If I happen to meet someone who voted and
currently supports Trump, I will be more friendly and engaging, and probably
debunk some of the ideas they might have about Muslims, which hopefully cause
them to think that Muslim isn’t as bad as the media portrays them to be, and
maybe even tell their friends! While I understand that it’s not fair for us
minorities to be judged on a single person's action who may be from that
particular minority, that is the way it goes in this country. If every time a
Trump supporter met an African American, a Muslim, a Latino, a gay person, etc,
their views on that person and minority in general might change for the better.
While this is not fair that for an individual who is a minority, because they
are representing their entire minority based on their own actions, it is how
society has formed ideas about minorities. As minorities, we can strive to do
this because we now know, that so many people support this man and his
rhetoric, so if we can debunk and educate them, just in the slightest way, an
idea in the simplest form changing to something more complex, we may be able to
change their view about certain things, and by the end of the 4 years, we can
become the UNITED States of America again.
This
is a very optimistic view to look at things, but unfortunately, there is no
going back and changing the results to what we wish they could be. As a nation,
we are in this together, and hopefully we can see some changes for the better,
and unity. It has already unified many people around the nation, many people
find themselves sticking up with minorities and people directly affected by
Trump’s rhetoric, so if we can just expand that unity to those who might be in
support of that rhetoric, we could be a united nation again.
- Yasmin Hussein
**
5
Global Warming has been a persistent problem
with our planet since the dawn of the Ice Age. Global Warming is the process of
Earth’s surface temperature rising, causing warmer climates and destruction of
regions of the world such as Antarctica. The process of Earth’s rising
temperature is natural, but since the presence of human life and the Industrial
Age, the process has been sped up. Greenhouse gases are the main cause of
Global Warming and us humans are the ones responsible for this catastrophe.
Humans emit more carbon dioxide into the
atmosphere than the rate plants and the ocean can absorb it. Because of the
emittance of these gases, destruction has occurred all over the world, from the
North Pole to the Great Barrier Reef. There is no way to reverse Global Warming
but there are ways to slow down and halt the mess we have made. Sadly however,
with our new President-elect Donald Trump, there isn’t much future for repair
to happen.
The Great Barrier Reef is known as one of the
Seven Wonders of the World and its lifespan has existed from 25 million BC
until today. There has been much controversy over declaring the Reef dead, but
in all reality it’s just dying it’s not actually dead… yet. With all of the
plastics and trash being thrown into the ocean, on top of all those oil spills
and the rise in temperature of the Earth, will take extensive resources to
fight for the life of the reef- but it is not impossible. However, with Trump’s
execution of the Environmental Protection Agency, it may be.
From the beginning of Trump’s presidential
campaign until now, he has been an advocate of dismantling the EPA, stating
“they do a disgrace…” because attempting to save the environment is a disgrace
right? Anywho, although it is unlikely for him to abolish the EPA completely, a
lack of funds he wouldn’t provide for them could cause their end just as
easily. President Barack Obama has been an advocate for many issues, from gay
rights to black rights to saving the earth, he may as well just be known as a
social issue God. He has been very efficient on helping pass laws to better the
Earth and is attempting to pass a vehicle greenhouse gas rule before his term
in office ends. Personally I think this just goes to show the priorities of our
two presidents… One is trying to save the economy while one is trying to save
the economy AND the earth. Earlier this year Obama and the Supreme Court
administered the Clean Power Plan to help reduce carbon pollution from power
plants. Trump refusing to fund the EPA just reverses everything Obama has
strived for since he got into office and it is also a big step back in
evolution.
The earth has existed for 4.5 billion years,
and us humans have maybe existed on this planet for a mere 200,000 years.
Somehow from the Industrial Age (about the 1800s) to now, we have been able to
raise the earth's temperature, destroy the Great Barrier Reef and let the polar
bears go nearly extinct. In the sense of human evolution, we will not have
enough time to evolve to fit earth’s changing climate at the rate we have begun
to change it. Plants and animals thrived for thousands of years before the first
trace of a human was ever discovered, and without the emittance of greenhouse
gases it still took them years to adapt to their given circumstances. Humans
are not enabled to live in gaseous or aquatic climates. At the rate China keeps
emitting gases into the air, their main cities will be declared unbreathable.
With the rising sea levels, land mass will shrink and mass overpopulation can
occur due to lack of land.
Not to say all of this destruction could occur
because of Trump, and all my scenarios are just theories, but we as humble
peasants to the earth have to pay our respects and that means taking care of
her and attempt to save her in every way we can. The earth isn’t just home to
humans, but plants and animals and fish and all future offspring- unless we
reject protecting it.
-Chase
Reynolds
References
"Donald Trump on Environment." Donald Trump on Environment. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Dec. 2016.
**
6
To understand the results of the recent election, we must start at
the very beginning of the story. About 200 kya the anatomically modern humans
appeared due to mutations, genetic drift, and natural selection. From these
humans, and through hundreds of thousands of years of genetic changes, you, me,
and coincidently Donald Trump came into the picture. While all of this is
happening, the society we live in today developed as well. For the purpose of
this story we will focus on the political system we have today. Fast forward
about two hundred years of history; wars, presidents, taxes, and laws, and here
we are. It is now 2016 and the United States of America has elected Donald
Trump to represent and lead our country of about 300 million people diverse in
their cultures, education, and political views.
Eight years ago the American people elected our first African
American president Barack Obama. After 8 years of serving and protecting our
country, our progression has seemingly stopped. In the aftermath of the primary
election, he stated at Rutgers University’s 250th commencement, “Progress
doesn’t travel in a straight line.”... “It remains uneven and at times, for
every two steps forward, it feels like we take one step back.” This election is
our step back.
America chose a man who wants to send people back to countries
where there are wars and violence based on their religion. Someone who shows
little understanding of science and diplomacy. Someone who talks over women to
assert his dominance and childishly argue when things don’t go his way. This is
the man this country chose to lead our country, so now we must deal with it.
In the aftermath, we must make an effort to begin our two steps
forward. To do this, we should think evolutionarily. As we have seen in our
study of human evolution things can only go forward. Time is in constant motion
and thankfully, we are in constant change. In our time here on earth there will
be glitches or mutations-- some good and some bad both that can change the
course of history. To many people this election is a bad mutation but we can
find solace in the fact that we as a society can continue to select for change
and a return to acceptance and respect of all peoples, places, and things.
Through this, good change will come. We may have to fight for it but if we work
hard and are dedicated, change will come.
- Kate Fish
**
7
Can evolutionary thinking help us?
Learning about evolution is an eye opening, and at the same time, humbling experience. You learn your similarities with other mammals, and your unlikely historical connection with fish. An aspect of respect is gained when you learn that you have a connection to the fish in the sea and the primates of the jungle. You are a collaborative consequence of little parts of past species tweaked and tinkered with until Homo sapiens “popped up”. Though you are made up of little parts from other species just changed a bit, we are truly a unique species. We’re actually total aliens compared to the rest of the species on this planet. None of them have conquered and dispersed over the entire earth as intensively as we have. We have created an entire virtual reality of how to live and what we do. Humans are the weirdest things the earth has ever seen. We build shiny buildings and go to big boxes filled with stuff to get our food. We get so wrapped up in these lives we’ve created that we forget what is actually important: our close relationships with those we love, what we put in our bodies, being healthful and happy, having a sense of purpose, sustaining this planet. Thankfully, thinking evolutionarily can help us.
One thing is very clear in evolution: everything is a process. Change takes time. This kind of thinking can help humans out.
Many of have this sort of anxiety that plagues us, myself included, “I’m not doing enough” “I’m not doing it fast enough” whatever “it” may be. “It” could be getting your dream job, finding your soul mate, your sense of purpose, doing your homework, or making friends. I feel it all the time, part of it being we’re too hard on ourselves. The push to be better is fantastic but the negative doubt, not so much. In evolution, change happens over generations and generations, sometimes a species splits off, and tries something adapted from another. Evolution is experimental, it’s seeing what works. That is a good way of thinking about your life, you have to experiment, try things out, take risks. Creatures that do not adapt, die. Trusting that everything will happen in time is reassuring, it will make us more patient and peaceful. Now this isn’t to say to just sit around on your behind all day expect to magically start earning a million dollars a year. It takes work, risk taking, trying new things, adapting the old, putting effort in, and patience. Be diligent, work for it, but be forgiving, it’s a process not perfection.
You are a mish mosh of adaptations from fishes fins to reptile's jaws. Knowing you weren’t birthed from gods is humbling. You are just another species that sprouted out of this earth. You have occupied a sliver of time on this floating rock, and we’re not doing a very good job sustaining it (but that is for another rant). The point is that learning about how you’re just the result of evolution, just like everything living thing on this earth, is humbling. It’s the feeling when you look out into the ocean or up into the stars and realize how small you actually are. You are a grain of sand in the desert, but a grain of sand that is like no other. No living thing will ever be exactly like you, your exact DNA and genome has never existed and will never exist again. This kind of thinking inspires the kind of thinking people have when they find out they’re gonna die soon, that why not?
Why not go sky diving? Why not risk opening a business? You only live once anyways, why not try? It’s better to have tried and failed than never have experienced it at all. Why be average when you can be the one to make a difference? More people thinking like this is better for the common good in that they’re living fully, they’re trying, they’re growing. This makes happy people, and happy people want more happy people. It all starts a reaction, like a ripple effect. Truly happy people have no hate in their heart, they aren’t racist, they say “heck yea gays can marry each other, who am I to say they can’t? Who am I to prevent others’ happiness? Why would I want to do that?!” This leads to a group of progressive people, people who believe in equality, they believe people have the right to be happy. They believe that before we should worry about being millionaires, we should first make sure everyone has clean water to drink, food to eat for every meal, and a safe place to rest their heads at night. These are very basic needs that we should have but so so many people lack.
Recently, here in the United States we had an election to vote on who would become our president this January after Obama’s second term. Obama was the first Black man to be elected in the United States.
This was a step in the right direction, with there being a push to a more equal viewing of people of color. Many people deny there is a race problem in the United States, though we have gained great leaps in rights of people of color in the United States, many people still perceive people of color as less than them. They think they’re less educated, lazy, dangerous criminals, etc. Claims that have virtually no evidence. In fact there is more evidence of just the opposite of these claims. Even so this racist bias is a common perception among many people in the United States. However, we thought we were moving away from this archaic thinking with no basis when we elected a black man as president in 2008. However, this recent election proved just the opposite.
A man named Donald Trump, a TV star, millionaire, failed business owner, ran a campaign that horrified the nation. Throughout his campaign he repeatedly declared racist, sexist comments/opinions, stated things as horrid as “grab her[women in general] by the pussy”. He was accused of sexual assault by over ten women. One of his main policies was to build a wall between the United the States and Mexico. He called all Muslims terrorists. And said that climate change was a hoax created by the Chinese to slow down American production. And he won. On November 9, 2016 the morning after the election, I awoke to find out this ignorant, arrogant, crazy, narcissistical, evil man had been elected by the American people to be our leader. I was heart broken. I sobbed. I was distraught the entire day. Not only was I disgusted by this man, but I had lost hope in the American people. How could so many people stand by him? Support him when his beliefs were the most unprogressive thing since before the Civil Rights movement? Millions of people believed in his words, millions shared the racist beliefs that he shouted on the TV screens. This was an exposure of the hatred in the hearts of the Americans. I sat in reflection, and after some time, and a plethora of optimistic words from my peers, I regained my faith, not in Americans, but in humanity.
Evolution opens eyes to understand life more fully. There are in-betweens, not just one or the other. It demonstrates that every living thing is a strike of luck that it exists. There are so many things that could go wrong, from conception to birth to growing into an adult, yet there they are, breathing and living life like it’s no big deal. But it is a big deal, in fact it should be considered a miracle. A single mutation could have left you without an arm. If the tiny bundle of cells that would become you attached to your mother's fallopian tubes instead of her uterus you and likely her wouldn’t be alive. Life is a miracle, no matter what color your skin or where you’re from in the world. All life should be respected because it exists, same goes for how you should be respected. This kind thinking seems utopian but it really isn’t. If people thought this way, gave respect to others, and didn’t blame others for their problems, we would live in a much better world. I’m not saying understanding evolution is the answer, but it might just be the key that opens minds.
- Alexa Bracken
**
8
Evolutionary thinking has caused us as humans to move forward
throughout time and space. To keep doing better every day and to make the most
out of our existence, we must continue to learn and grow as individuals and
human beings. Every single life is precious. It is amazing to be
alive on planet Earth because the likelihood that your particular DNA makeup
got paired together to create you is astounding and you should celebrate your
existence each day.
Yet the world is
a vast place, filled with so many people that can make you feel inferior. There
are so many people out there, and many are suffering and worse off than you.
How can your life matter compared to theirs? Well it does. Everyone’s lives
matter. How can you make the most of your time on Earth? Make somebody else’s
day better. Instead of trying to tear someone else down, build them up. If
someone is already down, reach out your hand and help them up. We’re here for
such a short period of time; we need to do the most we can while we can. Make
an impact on someone else’s life. No matter how small that might be; little
actions go a long way. Just a simple smile and a friendly face can make
someone’s day.
After the election of Donald Trump as president, most of America is crying out
for help. Not only did America elect Trump into office, America elected
misogyny. Racism. Sexism. Homophobia. Hate. America elected hate. After
everything we have fought for as a country: freedom, basic rights, legalizing
gay marriage in every state, etc. Now it feels like we are going back in time,
going against our evolutionary thinking. We are not growing with this backward
thinking. What happened to America, land of the free, home of the brave?
We deserve to have our freedom back, and our freedom includes a sense of safety
living in our own country. Many citizens do not feel safe with Trump as our
president. If our own president can say and do such terrible things, then
citizens will feel like it is okay for them to say and do these things as well.
What can we do? We can stick together. Push forward together as one. The
election has left our nation divided, our titles, skin, and appearance speaking
for us, rather than our hearts and our minds. Forget skin color, gender,
religion, sexual orientation, and race; because we are all one race: the human
race. Yes, we have our differences, but we are all the same on the inside.
Didn’t elementary school teach is that it’s what’s on the inside that matters?
So let’s revert back and remember that we are all just human beings trying to
make the most out of our existence and live our lives.
So let’s live our lives together. In peace and harmony. Think about the future
and how we can better our country and ourselves for our children and our
children’s children. Because when it is all said and done, we will all end up
back in the Earth's soil, together. So let's be united above ground first.
- Sunny Davis
**
9
The Election of Trump
and Evolution
How can the election of Donald Trump be explained using
evolutionary thinking? I had so many emotions and so many thoughts about this
election and about this assignment that it took a while for them to settle
enough to write something cohesive that tied in evolution. I gained
some inspiration from Trump himself and from an interview with Jon Stewart.
In a passage from one of Trump’s books (which Trump probably had
more than a little help writing), he essentially puts himself up on a pedestal
as the pinnacle of evolution. Apparently obnoxious men like himself (especially
himself) are the crowning glory of humanity. Error number one, evolution
doesn’t seem to have a goal in mind. He also says that women always go for
strong men who can provide for them and that they always have and always will.
In addition he asserted that primitive men didn’t care about what others
thought of them. This passage is just another example of his narcissism,
sexism, and general cluelessness. Do some women go for men who can provide for
them, often unconsciously? Yes. Do they always? No. Sometimes women chose a
kind man over a strong provider, sometimes they get both, and sometimes they
remain single because a woman can stand on her on two feet. Love is more
elusive than evolution. Women are just as encephalized as men and are capable
of making choices, not just being blindly led by primitive instincts. He
implies that there has been no change over time, which is the opposite of what
evolution is.
So how did we get here? How did we elect such an ignorant
buffoon? According to Jon Stewart we are not a fundamentally different country
than we were before the election. He also said that the United States is unique
in that we are a multi-ethnic democracy. Stewart claims we are battling
thousands of years of tribal history and behavior and that what we are doing is
not easy. Essentially the United States of America is a huge social experiment.
I would argue that while our physical evolution may have very
little to do with our current political situation our social and cultural
evolution does.We have certainly come a long way from living
in small tribal groups and sheltering in caves. Humanity through the
ages has not only created government but we have invented numerous forms of
government. Democracy is relatively young. We are still struggling with key
issues like how to truly give everyone a voice. Ours is such a populous country
that it is easy to feel unheard. Many people don’t vote because they
erroneously don’t think their vote will have an impact. In this election many
people were disgusted by both major candidates and so in protest they either
didn’t vote or voted for a third party candidate. Numerous Americans are
feeling insecure for a multitude of reasons. They wanted to try something
different.
Our nation has evolved since its birth in the 1700s. How do we
protect and remain true to the monumental and sacred document that is our
constitution while being realistic about modern issues? We are much more
connected globally than we were then. Many nations are very interested in
American politics. This is probably in part because we are a wealthy powerful
nation but perhaps it is also because of the grand social experiment that we
are conducting. The person sitting in the oval office has a lot of influence on
our reputation in the world. I hope that we can stay fundamentally loyal to the
core values of liberty and justice for all that our nation was founded upon
through a Trump administration and prove to our neighbors that a diverse people
can live united.
I pray that this is just a growing pain and that we will learn
from this choice. I am encouraged that Trump did not win the popular vote
despite the fact that he did succeed with the Electoral College because this
means that there are still many Americans who oppose bigotry and divisiveness.
There are many who have moved past this idea that we must compete for survival.
Not even everyone who voted for Trump is hateful and ignorant just because they
voted for someone who is.
I hope that we as a dynamic evolving people realize that it does
not have to be us vs. them and that this beautiful melting pot democracy we
have created can work and thrive and grow. We can stand strong together.
- Katherine Serra
**
10
Serenity Over
Exceptionalism
On election night I fell asleep
watching a digital map of America slowly change from pale red states to the
color of blood. When I woke up, the sky was neutral gray and I headed to class.
This year is my second go around at higher education. My first attempt involved
me being young and naive and doing what I thought was required to become a
successful member of society. Not only was I wrong, I failed miserably. Partly
because making mistakes is an integral part of growth. Partly because I was in
the midst of an opioid addiction that nearly killed me. However, I did not die.
Now, I am back with direction and purpose—to become a published
writer. Also, I have ten years clean. The first published book I write will
hopefully offer a form of inspiration to any addicts out there in the trenches.
That is my own evolution in the poetic sense of the word. My slow change over time. I
know how to fight—both literally and figuratively—against something that
controls me. I know how to identify a problem from within and overcome it for
the better. The solution, however, doesn’t necessarily arise right away.
Moments of clarity are seldom amidst the chaos of it all. Just for today, I
know that I will not go back to my old ways and every day I become a better
version of myself. Every tomorrow is a gray sky being broken open by sunlight
that shines down on the world because that is all it knows how to do.
Everyone is always dismantling utopian ideas as idealist garbage
or unrealistic. I do know this, had I settled for a lesser evil in terms of my
addiction, I would be dead. It would not work. I know that I went from a life
of chaos, to finding the closest thing to serenity that could possibly exist in
my life—peace within myself.
My country is one that settles for evil in both the lesser and
simpler definition. Settling for lesser evil is on par with replacing one
addiction with another. Here is a pill to get off a pill. This lesser evil
ideology is a byproduct of fascism—regardless of the binary opposition we are
forced to accept and choose within the two-party political system here in the
United States where the popular vote is meaningless.
Democracy is homonym. Some
say it is dying. Some say it is dead. Some say it never even existed. When we
pull back and look at our country as a whole—we are seemingly one fascistic
unit. When we detach ourselves from political affiliation we have to ability to
see both Hillary and Trump as victims. Regardless of how
skewed and negative their ideologies or motives both might be. They are
products of the system. And we allow that to happen because we too are products
of this system. Two parties feeding off one another perpetually in the name of
the holy American Empire under corporate control. The divisiveness between our
parties—or any parties—is war within itself. We are hesitant to admit we have a
problem that cannot be solved by two-party politics. We are addicted to
capitalism, misogyny, racism, drugs, fossil fuels, fear, hate, violence, war—to
name a few. More over, we are addicted to binary opposition and all of the
aforementioned stem from the nonchalant acceptance of always having an enemy.
Binary oppositions appear in everywhere. Democrat/Republican, female/male,
black/white, gay/straight, war/peace. That dash is a divide driving our
insanity. Labeling who we are and are not, pitting us against each other in
terms of race, gender, sexual preference, religion, political affiliation, and
countless other divisions. We are a nation constantly at war even during
peacetime.
On this spring-like December day, while I watch an ice cream
truck circling the block, I think how can this change. For these things to
change, we must rely on our individualities as a collective. In her 1941 essay,
“Thoughts On Peace In An Air Raid,” Virginia Woolf proposed a new idea of
peace. She wrote, “We must think peace into existence.” The thought itself is
beautiful in its simplicity. We must think peace into existence. Say that out loud,
slowly. We must make peace a part of our genes. A trait that is passed down to
our next generations through inheritance. Thinking peace into existence means
it is something that does not exist at this current moment in time. So no, it
is not Hillary Clinton. So no, it certainly is not Donald Trump. Reform is not
revolution. Reform is not evolution either. Reform is like writing “small
change over time” on a chalkboard a thousand times only to erase it at the end
of every day. Reform is the old way that does not work. It is an attribute to
neofascism. We cannot start to nail wood onto a house that is in the process of
burning to the ground and expect to get somewhere. Fire will do what it knows
how to do—burn. We know what does not work in America. From the subtle
transitions of power in Presidencies, the Supreme Court, the House, wherever—we
are bound to microfascistic ways. Continuations of what the other did wrong.
One problem leading to another. An endless cycle called addiction.
Constitutionally incapable is a term used in Alcoholics
Anonymous. It refers to individuals that cannot recover from addiction. They
are essentially morally and physically “bankrupt” to the point where treatment
is worthless. As depressing as it is to say, they lack the self-awareness to
actually change. I do think we are at that threshold as a country. My country,
your country, our country—more over, our planet. However, I do not see us as a
constitutionally incapable individual. We are a nation—a collective of
individuality and singularity. A brain connected through the internet that can
rewire itself to think peacefully. All genders, races, ages, sexual
preferences, religions. If we are truly the greatest country in world—as so
many of us claim—then why not set an example for the rest of it. Not in a sense
that we are any more civilized than another, but simply in the sense that we
recognize a problem and do something about it. A more elegant way of putting it
would be to embrace serenity over exceptionalism.
One that acknowledges and disbands the systematic oppression of
races within our country, one that helps pull women up to where they always
should have been, one that helps build a world rather than an empire, one that
feeds and clothes the impoverished instead of stockpiling weapons, one that
must be brutally aware of how finite our time on this planet is and how are
resources are not infinite, one that does not see any of the aforementioned as
means of monetary gain. I understand that the world is imperfect which means
the voting process will also be imperfect. Some go as far as to say voting a
lesser evil is practical—however which way we spin it. I view that statement as
one who refuses to admit they have a problem even if they are well aware. The telltale
sign of addiction.
What will it take for peace to truly exist in this world? To
break the violent cycle we have created for ourselves? In terms of evolutionary
thinking, we are so unique. It took so much for me to get to where I am to type
this very sentence, and equally, for you to read it. The odds for each of our
singular existences are 1 in 10 followed by 2,685,000 zeros. Yet we dismiss
that. Evolution helps us to understand where we came from. And also, gives us
some insight to see where we are going.
Evolution—in the biological
sense—explains that all life on Earth shares a common ancestor. That means
every man, woman, and child on this planet is related. And not in the poetic
sense of the word. Through small change over time we have developed into
bipedal (walking upright) products of encephalization (having big brains). Our
brain size has given us the opportunity to evolve socially into the
civilizations we see today. Underneath our own layers of individuality, we all
have the same gray brains, white bones, and red blood. Inwardly, we are all the
same. Though the world is obviously not equal. Somehow we have become a world
that accepts binary opposition as normal. That proposes one side will always be
more exceptional than the other. A violent act within itself. The course we are
on is one bound towards inevitable destruction. In the kind words of John
Lennon, “Violence begets violence.”
Our greater social skills have landed us in the position we are
in today. Perhaps they can be viewed as a double-edged sword. What I propose is
this, first, admitting we have a problem. Getting to that point will prove
trying enough. Our country is very settled in its ways. Making that first
plunge into recovery is never easy. From there—our slow change over time—our
evolution will materialize. One day at a time, one person at a time. The
ability to realize the old ways are not working will inevitably come to
fruition through the continued degradation of whatever it is we call our
country. And as our country slowly starts to turn, we can use our greater
social skills for greatness to teach our offspring the right way to live.
Are we not inherently good from birth? Are we not inherently
altruistic? We are taught binary opposition from the social structures that
bind and divide us. Once we make peace with ourselves, we can move on to making
peace with the world. Again, in the eloquent words of Woolf, “We must think
peace into existence.” I am not saying that it is that easy, but at the same
time, I am. A choice between a life of chaos or serenity. One final act of
binary opposition. I do not have exact solutions or some scientific plan to
dissolve the state, disarm the world, and battle climate change. Though all are
achievable from the deconstruction of binary opposition.
When I got clean, I did not think about how I would slowly piece
my life together in the coming years. It just happened. I knew that my life had
become unmanageable and I reached a point where I had enough clarity to
walkaway. It took me a long time to realize that I was not only harming myself,
but everyone around me. Several failed attempts and a complete loss of hope
included. I was caught in the lesser evil ideology waiting to die. Practicality
does not exist in that place. Nor does it exist here. No matter what we tell
ourselves to sleep at night.
We are bound to microfascist ways. Meaning, at this current
point in time, we desire the very things that control and oppress us.
Neoliberlism turning to neofascism. We divide our country with these binary
oppositions which are acts of war. Opposing sides will always think they are
the more civilized and dominant than the other side. In turn, causing us to see
everything as two sides, perpetuating competition instead of cooperation.
Instead of agreeing to disagree and continuing this endless cycle, we must
think through our differences. We must think peace into existence. We must
embrace serenity over exceptionalism. From there, thought can compensate the
loss of weaponry to build the world and beyond, defining our evolution past our
bipedal footsteps on this planet. Otherwise, we will always be at war, not only
with ourselves, but with the world in which we live—micro to macro.
Within this Trump presidency I do not see all gray skies. I do
see rock bottom, and from there, a moment of clarity. A burnt down house, and
from the smoldering foundation, a new blueprint. Peace going from an
undefinable word to being filled with definitions. I am looking up at the sky
right now, and it is in fact gray, though the sun is still shining through the
clouds even if we cannot see it because that is all it knows how to do. And in
terms of nature, we will evolve because that is all we know how to do.
- Sean Hayes
