The Breakdown of Evolution

Evolution has always been carried out via Natural Selection, or the survival of the fittest. Creatures of every kind have been forced to either adapt to the surrounding environment, or fall to the wayside.

Man has done something spectacular. He has advanced technologically to the point where he no longer needs to adapt. Man is now able to simply change the surrounding environment to suit his needs.

How does this influence evolution? Survival of the fittest is no longer the appropriate term, as most are able to survive (and procreate) whether they are among the fittest or not. Our weak, stupid, addicted, sick and crippled are no longer falling to the wayside. They're being celebrated, attended to, singled out, and specialized.

Natural Selection is no longer an option, and has become mute in terms of the human species. Somewhere between here and there, man has been given the reigns to control his own evolution. This isn't discussed anywhere in the public sector, try as you may to find something that relates.

What are we doing with our new-found control? Food manufacturers use some difficult-to-pronounce "ingredients" as fillers, something to fill in the spaces between the small amounts of legitimate food and nutrition that exist in the food we eat today. All of our successes relating to food are causing our obesity, disease, inactivity, etc. This is just one example of the many different ways the human race is squandering its control over the process of evolution.

We'll never make it out of here alive at this rate. What's the answer? Since our control over technology has essentially made Natural Selection a thing of the past, and the race will no-doubt suffer as a result, what should we do? What are some compensations that are in use today that help to "thin out the herd"? What are some compensations that are not in use today, but should be looked at?

My father is a chemical dependency counselor and feels that there are some people who were just "born broken," and he fully supports sterilization in this case. Anyone agree? Any other areas where it could be implemented?

Evolution is defined as a change in a species over time. True that becasue of technology things have changed but evolution will still proceed as it always has. A look at even recent history will show you that empires are fleeting. Modern humans have not been here for that long in the grande scheme of things. Everytime there is a war, a food shortage, a water shortage, a natural disaster, or an epidemic the srongest will survive and breed, Its happened over and over. Humans will continue to evolve. Just when we have one disease beat another will take its place, and kill, just like it always has.