First of all, let's start with the Darwinian theory of evolution. Most of us already know the details. Some have an expertise in this field but for the benefit of those who have limited knowledge about it, this is basically an overview. In all populations, individuals have the tendency to over reproduce and leave behind more young than the environment can support. Thus, these individuals compete against each other for space, food, mates
and anything essential that is finite in the environment. But with so little going around and so many who want a share, competition gets tough and only those who are capable of surviving in the given environment due to beneficial traits conferred upon them by heredity from their parents leave behind young which are then able to live their parents' legacy and continue to spread their advantageous characteristics to future generations. Over time, evolution occurs when the population accumulates a large number of beneficial characteristics, leading to that population being highly adapted for the environment they live in.
For years, we as humans have lived under the same conditions described above. We have been subjected to environmental pressures that result in evolution in our populations. It is still visible among the poorer developing countries which are still plagued by high birth rates, high infant mortality rates, and harsh environmental pressures. But for the rest of us who can afford a computer, we are probably living in places that have broken the conditions required for the theory. We live in countries of declining birth rates, and this trend seems to be even more prevalent among families consisting of an educated woman in a highly paid managerial position. For men who already wield power and fame, public concerns of morality binds them to a single partner and through that, reduce the number of children they father. Furthermore, we live in countries where equity problems cause the government to embark on policies to "leave no man behind". So it seems, the most basic conditions of competition and overpopulation have been removed.
With these crucial conditions removed, man has stagnated in the evolutionary timeline. If the theory is true, we no longer adapt to this new era characterised by conditions which favour individuals of greater mental resilience and intellectual rigour, much unlike those of the older ages where the brawls were valued over the brains. Thus, to be unable to adapt to these conditions is to be unable to propel ourselves as a species into a new age where science and technology, harnessed by intelligent minds, would allow us to further catalyse the development of new innovations that benefit society as a whole.
Of course, there have been some changes during our time that might possibly soften the impact of our concept of society on our evolutionary prospect. We have seen the world transformed into a global village where the whole world is gradually being integrated into an single population. In more open societies, polygamy is accepted provided both parties are in a mutual agreement and neither party or the family is shortchanged on their welfare. With a booming population, it may be high time that nature keeps us in check while improving the quality of individuals in the population. But for us living in the volatile 21st century, we can only hope to predict but the unpredictable future which never fails to surprise in ways we can never imagine.
