Reflecting on Sports and Cooperation

During my childhood, I engaged in numerous team sports, often playing informal games in schoolyards or at the expansive property of our neighbors, the Findlays. In the summer, I participated in organized softball leagues. It struck me that team sports often presented a paradox: while we were coached to foster unity within our own teams, we were simultaneously encouraged to compete against our rivals.

Now that I've transitioned into adulthood, I am a member of a credit union—an institution owned by its depositors. Nonetheless, this cooperative entity must still compete with traditional commercial banks.

The Complex Dynamics of Cooperation and Competition

Experts across various fields have examined the complex relationship between human cooperation and competition. In his seminal work, "The Evolution of Cooperation," Dr. Robert Axelrod illustrates how natural selection fosters collaborative behavior, a notion echoed in Richard Dawkins’ "The Selfish Gene." Dr. Garrett Hardin, in his influential essay "The Tragedy of the Commons," highlighted how groups sharing common resources often exploit and deplete them. However, Nobel Laureate Dr. Elinor Ostrom contested this view, providing principles for how local communities can effectively manage shared resources.

Dr. Tim Waring, an evolutionary biologist at the University of Maine, has devoted two decades to investigating the interactions between social cooperation and cultural evolution.

Humanity’s Connection to Nature and Ecological Challenges

Professor Waring recently led a study published in the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B, examining how humanity's relationship with nature influences our approach to ecological issues. The research focused on the evolution of human societies in their utilization of natural resources, analyzing how changes in our ecological niche have affected the environment.

The team discovered that over the past 100,000 years, the types and intensity of resources we exploit have escalated, along with our environmental impact. This phenomenon is attributed to what scientists refer to as cultural adaptation.

Cultural Change vs. Genetic Evolution

Professor Waring stated, “Human evolution is predominantly driven by cultural change, which occurs at a much faster pace than genetic evolution. This rapid adaptation has enabled humans to inhabit all accessible land globally.” This process is self-perpetuating; as groups expand, cultural evolution accelerates, leading to the consumption of even more resources and further growth.

“For the last 100,000 years, this has been beneficial for humanity overall, but such expansion relies on ample resources and space,” noted Professor Waring. Ecologists have termed this era the Anthropocene epoch.

The Limits of Our Ecosystem

However, the escalating demands for resources and space present significant challenges. We are nearing the limits of our ecosystem, with climate change and mass extinction jeopardizing our access to resources and our very survival.

In the subsequent phase of the study, the researchers analyzed historical instances where cultural evolution led to more sustainable human practices. Two key patterns emerged. Firstly, these sustainable systems typically arose reactively after significant failures in resource management. Secondly, most sustainable changes involved cultural evolution within communities, rather than between them.

The Challenge of Global Coordination

“One major issue is the absence of a coordinated global society capable of implementing these systems,” Professor Waring remarked. “We are left with sub-global groups, which may not be adequate. However, cooperative treaties could be envisioned to tackle these collective challenges, representing a simpler problem.”

The more complex issue, as identified by Professor Waring, lies in the cultural evolutionary tension between cooperation and competition. “This makes global issues like climate change far more challenging to address than previously thought. They are undoubtedly the most formidable tasks our species has ever faced,” he explained.

The Need for a New Perspective

“The greater challenge is that fundamental aspects of human evolution may be counterproductive to our ability to tackle these global challenges,” he added. “To address collective global issues, we must swim against the current.”

Despite the somber outlook, Professor Waring maintains that there is optimism regarding humanity's potential to combat climate change. “We have previously established cooperative governance, though never at this scale or urgency,” he stated.

It appears that a balance of hope and realism is essential for overcoming these obstacles, emphasizing the need to recognize the difficulties posed by cultural evolution.

A Call for a New Era

The findings of the research underscore an urgent need for a new type of cultural evolution to secure humanity’s future. This future is envisioned by some as the “Ecozoic era,” a transformative period wherein humanity embraces a new narrative of interconnectedness among all living beings, replacing the current Anthropocene perspective that regards the planet merely as a resource to be exploited.

For over fifty years, the environmental movement has recognized the necessity for humanity to, in Professor Waring’s terms, “swim upstream” against the trends of cultural exploitation. As Audrey Hepburn famously stated in The African Queen, “Nature, Mr. Allnut, is what we were put in this world to rise above.”

In conclusion, Professor Waring emphasized, “If our conclusions are even close to accurate, we must study these issues with greater care.” There is always more to learn if we are willing to seek knowledge.

Learn more:

• Evolution Might Hinder Humanity's Response to Climate Change
• The Processes of Human Evolution and Their Impact on the Anthropocene

In this video, William E. Rees discusses the complexities behind climate inaction, focusing on how human nature contributes to policy failures.

Jordan Peterson shares insights on the motivations and challenges he faced, highlighting the broader implications of personal and societal struggles.