Why is the world in such a terrible state, with so much crime, corruption, violence, injustice, material and spiritual poverty, and in general such a shameful testament to man's capacity for evil, indifference and stupidity? Notwithstanding that many of us - for the moment, at least - lead such pleasant and privileged lives.

Things were no better in the past either; in many ways they were even worse (not for the privileged few, perhaps, as now, but certainly for the majority). The history of "civilisation", from its very beginnings to the present, not withstanding its great achievements, has largely been the history of violent conflict, injustice and of man's inhumanity towards and exploitation of his fellow man. 

Having an answer to this most important (and vital) of questions is essential if we are to meet man's most pressing challenge: the creation of diverse, just, humane, peaceful and sustainable human societies on our finite and vulnerable planet, Spaceship Earth.

The answer, in fact, has been staring us in the face for more than 100 years: since the publication of Charles Darwin's theory of evolution and the scientific recognition of man's animal origins. Although lip service is paid to this most profound piece of scientific knowledge, for all practical, political, social, economic and ecological purposes we have yet to face up to it.

Man is an animal (Earth's Greatest Ape) whose social behaviour evolved over millions of years to serve the survival and advantage of individuals and family groups in the natural environment. There has been no time for it to adapt to the much larger social units of human civilisations. This is why the societies we have created (past and present) have always been so hopelessly inadequate (unjust, inhumane) and often in conflict or at war with each other.

Having evolved under very different circumstances for a very different purpose (the survival and advantage of small, family groups in the natural environment), this same behavioural programming is now focused on the struggle for survival and advantage in the artificial "socio-economic environment " created by civilisation in the past two to three thousand years. In the modern world, apart from all the armed conflicts, this largely boils down to making money in the local, national or global economies, thus explaining why we persist in giving the economy (the household of man) priority over ecology (the household of our planet), despite human survival (let alone, well-being) demanding the opposite. 

Our capitalist, free-market economy has developed and been honed to exploit our primitive, animal nature (fear, greed, competitiveness, the desire for security, for a free or cheap lunch, for power, social status etc.), which is why in some respects it works so well. Unfortunately, apart from being inherently unjust and inhumane, it is also fundamentally unsustainable.

Socialism and Communism were largely, but not entirely, vain attempts at creating a socio-economic system based on our more enlightened human nature to replace capitalism. They failed not least from a lack of understanding of how deeply rooted the present order is in our "more animal than human" nature (also in those calling themselves socialists or communists), and by trying to impose their half-baked ideas from above (whether through revolution or reform). Then, having given up on radical change, social democrats (e.g. New Labour) set themselves the aim of financing their socialist ideals using capitalist cash: the idea being to keep the capitalist economy running smoothly and producing ever more wealth, while creaming off as much as possible (without harming it) to finance socialist goals (education, health care, social welfare etc).

They think that they can tame and ride the dragon of free-market capitalism, steering it in the direction they want it to go (just, humane, sustainable, etc), but they are terribly mistaken. The dragon has a mind of its own (rooted in our "more animal than human " nature) and, unless we get off, will carry us to our doom.

The trouble is, we cannot get off until we have something to replace it with. We depend on the existing socio-economic order for virtually everything. What we have to do is create an alternative, based not on our animal nature, but on our more enlightened human nature. As it grows and develops we will be able to transfer more and more of our activities and dependences to it - not under coercion, but when each of us is ready (i.e. comes out of denial and recognises what is at stake), and at our own pace, until eventually it replaces the old, unjust, inhumane and unsustainable system completely. It is going to take some time (several decades), but will nevertheless be by far the most rapid and radical change (revolution) in human history - it has to be, if we are to avoid catastrophe. 

To those still in denial of how untenable (unsustainable) the current socio-economic order is, this is a very worrying prospect, especially for those with a particularly strong interest (wealth, status, privilege) in the status quo. Understandably, they will feel a strong desire to hang on to them (see Another Tale for Today). Communists would have called them "reactionaries". However, it is very important not to make enemies of them, since that will only drive them still further into denial, and the realisation of my vision requires THEIR support as much, if not more than anyone else's, because they have so much power - to resist or conversely to help bring the project forward. 

I don't expect anyone to come out of denial all of a sudden (I certainly didn't), but rather, bit by bit. As they do, their support of and participation in the Alternative will increase, bit by bit: first one little toe in the boat of alternative just, humane and sustainable society, then a second, and so on  . . . . until eventually they are all aboard. The best help and encouragement they (and anyone else) can be given is through example: putting as much as we can (eventually everything we have) into the alternative, nonymous society. As it grows, present, non-sustainable, anonymous society will shrink, becoming a refuge for less enlightened, criminal and evil elements. However, no one will be eternally damned. Once they are prepared to try and behave like proper human beings, they will have no trouble finding a nonymous community happy to take them in.

But where to start?

By reading, thinking and talking about it - and not panicking! Things may look pretty hopeless at the moment, but as more and more people come (more and more) out of denial that will change. When Churchill decided that Britain would stand alone against the evil might of Nazi Germany things didn't look good either. Once again, getting the Americans on board may take a little time (and perhaps a modern-day Pearl Harbour), but once they are we cannot lose.

Work in progress