”Not the strongest, not the most intelligent,
but the one that’s most adaptable to change”.
Perhaps, above all others, this survival
attribute applies to us especially.
The original words Darwin used give food
for thought in the world today. We’re in the wake
of an ubiquitous War on Terror waking
up post truth nine / eleven, our intelligence
service and media keep our hunger fed
on sensationalism, so we fear change
and opt for the status quo. (“Origin of Species’
first four editions don’t mention: “Survival
of the Fittest”). One type of spider survives
when their Mother vibrates the web and wakens
her babies’ coarse hunting instincts. This species
grow before leaving the nest; intelligent
design urge they eat their own mummy, changing
her body into a trickling soupy food.
Children learn Evolution by spoon-feeding
theory dressed up as fact: “compete and survive”.
But, if we aren’t ready to adapt and change
this well-worn tune then one more world war will wake
us up on the day we’re dead; intelligent
scientific ideas can’t be hatched on spec.
Healthy cooperation in advanced species’
behaviour can’t be discounted as chickenfeed:
market research shows emotional intelligence
thrives when not in competition survival-
mode, but conversely, consciousness awakens
inter-being where there’s cooperative exchange.
The programme makes us unwilling to want change.
Wars are unique human traits, specifically,
and material thinking follows in its wake;
but money’s insecure. We are fed
up handing over our fragile survival
to serve Military and Industrial intel.
Intelligence and strength must adapt to change
if a peaceful speciation will survive;
not fed treacle syrup at our Mother’s wake!
by Silver Hawk
Illustration Rupert Loydell