Modern human evolution has been dictated by our competition with other humans. Thus, we have found ourselves completely disconnected from our environment.

Economics is the measure of modern human evolution, and modern human evolution alone. Economics is utterly incapable of understanding the complexity and nuances of the ecosystems that life depends on. No economic formula or philosophy can bring balance to any of Earth’s natural ecosystems. (Economics is the proverbial hammer that everyone keeps trying to solve all problems with.) Solving environmental problems requires that we first remove the environment from economics pressures… or the effects of human competition.

I had a dream once of finding myself in a basement torture chamber. I reacted so strongly from fear that I flew straight up, through floor after floor (apparently a tall building) and out into space. By the time I regained control of myself and stopped my flight, the entire universe was a distant dot of light. I remember thinking, with some concern, that it was going to take a very long time to find my way back.

I think of this dream when I think about how we are going to survive the coming troubles. There will be no quick solutions, no miracle technologies, or perfect answers. Governments will not be able to legislate a solution,.. the environment will be changing too rapidly. (Not to mention that any law passed today will be overturned at some point in the future.) Engineers and industry will not be able produce our way out of a problem that over-production has created. And scientists will be experiencing things that are completely new to them,.. so there will be no way for them to get ahead. It will take a very long time for us to find our way back to a healthy environment.

The driving force of our evolution is going back to our ability to survive the changing environment around us, instead of succeeding in the economic competition between us. In terms of evolution, it will be an opportunity for all people to display their discipline and focus in building a community around lifestyles that can sustain long term ecosystem management. Those who have the ability will survive and prosper.

This will require that all people sacrifice themselves in their daily lives to a faith, a new religion, (or a modified old one) founded on the core principle that paradise – a sustainably balanced environment – is not an achievable goal, but something we must all diligently pursue anyway… like freedom,.. or justice. Generation after generation, it is a lie we must convince ourselves of as it is the only way for humanity to survive.

If we ever make the mistake in believing that we have achieved balance, or that we can find a new paradise elsewhere, the slow degradation will begin again.

The only perfection is the pursuit of perfection.