This chapter explores the rise of selfishness in society and its impact on various aspects of life, including politics. It discusses the absence of a major external threat and how it has led to a shift in societal values towards self-preservation. The chapter also addresses the challenges faced by Western societies and proposes a theory that suggests the need for an enemy to foster a cooperation system.
What makes humanity unique?
Dr. Michael Muthukrishna is fascinated by why our species behaves the way it does. In his book, A Theory of Everyone, Michael seeks to answer some of the deepest questions humans have about ourselves and how our cultures came to be. Why do humans create culture? What do all our societies have in common? And how can this knowledge help us build a better future?
This...is A Bit of Optimism.
In our conversation, Michael references a paper published in Science titled "The Church, intensive kinship, and global psychological variation." You can read it here.
To learn more about Michael's work, check out:
michael.muthukrishna.com
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