I came across a sobering article on the exotic food market. It highlights one of the problems I see in the human race vs. our viability on this planet: we want things. More things. Shinier things. Rare things. Things that distinguish ourselves from our fellow apes, that allow us to display our superiority.
I'm assuming this is some kind of survival instinct, for us to fight for the best and the most to ensure the continuation of our genome. But to my eye, this is also the drive that causes us to have more children, to take up more space, to clear-cut more rainforest...eventually leading to habitat destruction, a shortage of resources, war, and a return to the Hobbesian state of nature.
Is it possible for us to overcome these urges? Can we, as a race, realize that more/"better"/rarer also means death? Or is it okay, so long as it means death to the other people? When will we figure out that the water shortage in India equates to degraded quality of life in the US? Would it be possible for us to evolve to believe that it's okay to have enough, to have the same as our neighbors, and to live well rather than to always want to live "better"?
Or will the new iPod, Harry Potter book, BMW always hold a stronger pull? I really worry.
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