Our closest relatives, the Neanderthals, died out 40,000 years ago leaving us, Homo sapiens, to dominate the planet. In his book on the subject, palaeoanthropologist Ludovic Slimak proposes that their demise was not because of failure to adapt to climate change, but because of homo sapiens superior weapons. What is implied, is that Homo sapiens killed off the Neanderthals, in the first incidence of genocide.
In the Neolithic, when a settled farming lifestyle was becoming established, evidence is emerging (in Europe) for many acts of whole communities being massacred with bodies being disposed of in mass graves. (Schoneck - Kilianstadtan). Central Europe is being seen as a bit of a "blood bath" as Professor Alice Roberts puts it. Also when homo sapiens first entered the Americas and New Zealand, species went extinct, so it is speculated that we killed them off in a frenzy of hunting.
Of course, these are only theories based on very little evidence, so you can pick and choose your preferred version of reality, and no one can say you are wrong. But given humanity’s historic record of violence, tribalism and destruction, it certainly fits my low opinion of homo sapiens. (See “History of the world in a single object” below).
It is now generally accepted that we are in a new geological era, the Anthropocene*. This period started mid 20th Century, when humans started to irreversible change the planet and now there is no going back. We continue to harm ourselves and the planet through wars, pollution, tribalism, violence and selfishness and by using technology to vastly speed up and increase the effects of these bad habits, it appears that the future of Homo Sapiens is going to be worse, and probably much worse.
If you accept that, because of our superior weaponry, we raped and killed off the Neanderthals, (rape could explain the Neanderthal genes in our genome), fought battles with the first farmers and killed off many species upon arrival in a new land, then it looks likely that from the very beginning, our success as a species is based on genocide against other peoples, namely the Neanderthals, It would appear that our fundamental nature from deep prehistory, is shameful. People like Hitler, Stalin and Putin are just keeping up the tradition.
I’m sure you are aware of the many great challenges facing humanity, and if you have read some of my essays, you will know that I’m not convinced humanity is up to the job. Great change is coming and we need to change greatly. We need to learn from the past, face up to who we are, accept that our fundamental nature, which up till now, has turned humanity into a great success**.and move on to something better. You could say that because we need to change fundamentally, humanity needs to evolve.
So, having acknowledged the reality of a new geological era, why can‘t we recognise the emergence of a new species, a new split in the tree of life,, a new version of Homo. Isn’t it time for the emergence of HOMO MUTUALARLIS, a new species that cares, co-operates, puts others first and rejects the violence, selfishness and tribalism of our less enlightened ancestors? Such a species, that recognises that their individual wants, desires and life, is of equal. or of less, importance than that of others, that continually strives to make the world a better place, rather than worse, could then look forward to a compassionate, happier, and sustainable world.
Well, that’s my dream, you probably think. But aren't there already examples of this fine new species out there in the field? We just need them to breed like rabbits!!!!!
*(up date - geologists who are more at home with timescales of millions of years have rejected this conceit, because the few thousand years of humanity will leave no significant trace in geologic record. But the idea has taken root in the public imagination)
**(if you regard accumulation of knowledge and domination of other species as a definition of success)
