Recently I researched on the effects that environments have on the evolution of a species. As it turns out, these environments have a direct effect on their evolution. When we speak of our environments, we mostly encounter those that have been altered by humans. Humans grew large brains due to the invention of fire which allowed us to have more nutritious diets and easier digestion allowing the development of a larger brain than other animals. The term used to describe this phenomenon is artificial selection. You might have already heard the term natural selection which is natural evolution of a certain species without man made impact. But in artificial selection, human activities determine the evolution of that species.
Effects of artificial selection can be seen in plants.
- Wild Mustard (Brassica oleracea): This single wild weed was selectively bred into vastly different vegetables by targeting specific plant parts --Kale: Cultivated by focusing on large, leafy growth. --Broccoli&Cauliflower: Bred by suppressing flower development and altering buds. --Cabbage: Selected for short stems and tight, dense leaves.
-Corn (Maize): Modern sweet corn was bred from a wild, inedible grass called teosinte, which originally had tiny kernels and hard shells
Effects of artificial selection can be seen in animals as well.
Dog Breeds: All domesticated dogs originated from a common wolf ancestor. Humans bred them for specific tasks and appearances, ranging from tiny toy poodles to massive work dogs.
Dairy Cattle: Farmers systematically breed cows that produce higher milk yields with bulls from similar high-producing lineages, drastically increasing global dairy production.
Artificial selection is not always positive.
- Bulldogs have been bred for their distinctive flat faces, but this can cause breathing difficulties and other health issues.
- Many modern wheat varieties are unable to effectively disperse their seeds without human help. This means they are less able to survive in the wild, making them more dependent on farmers for their continued existence.
The above examples are for plants and animals. But this applies to humans too. How about the environments that we develop like the cities and our lifestyle choices? These will have direct influence. Too much reliance on technology might shrink human brain cognitive capabilities for example. Use of antibiotics develops more resistant bacteria. Using medicine as a substitute to addressing the cause of ailment is another. Check out this video by this MIT educated former neurosurgeon https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25LUF8GmbFU
This has to do with capitalism as well because you cannot make money by removing the cause for the problem but you can make money by providing a solution to it. And don't get me wrong, providing a solution will fix the problem, and is often necessary, but it could be a temporary fix because the solution did not address the root cause for the problem. This doesn't mean that humans should get rid of all the root causes which is anger, greed and ignorance as mentioned by Lord Buddha and become saints because that is not possible for most people. But we must collectively as a species establish standards and have a sustainable lifestyles. Solutions and inventions are great, but we must stop making solutions to problems that we have created! Because these solutions are often used as a justification to not stop the cause for the problem, thereby creating more and more complications. Let me give you a few more examples.
Plastic Recycling Campaigns : An explosion of single-use, non-biodegradable packaging that chokes oceans and landfills. By shifting the responsibility of managing waste onto the consumer ("Just put it in the blue bin!"), manufacturers successfully lobbied against bans on single-use plastics. The existence of recycling justified infinite production. Only about 9% of all plastic ever made has actually been recycled. The rest ends up in landfills, incinerators, or the environment, breaking down into microplastics that are now found in human blood and rainwater. A group of young engineers developed a novel method of extracting microplastic from seawater.
Carbon Capture and Storage : Massive greenhouse gas emissions from burning fossil fuels. Developing expensive technology to suck carbon dioxide out of the air or trap it at smokestacks and bury it underground. Fossil fuel companies heavily promote and invest in CCS because it validates their core business model. The narrative becomes, "We don't need to stop extracting and burning oil and gas, because we will eventually just vacuum up the pollution." CCS is highly energy-intensive, incredibly expensive, and has repeatedly failed to meet capture targets. Relying on it delays the transition to renewable energy, while the continued extraction of fossil fuels still destroys local ecosystems and pollutes air and water in ways CCS cannot fix.
Medicalizing the Modern Diet: Epidemic levels of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease driven by a food system optimized for cheap, hyper-palatable, ultra-processed foods. Blockbuster pharmaceutical interventions, from statins to modern GLP-1 weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy. The availability of pharmaceutical safety nets allows the food and agriculture industries to continue marketing highly subsidized, nutrient-poor food without facing severe regulatory crackdowns (like sugar taxes, marketing bans to children, or subsidy reforms). Millions of people are effectively tethered to expensive, lifelong medications with potential side effects, simply to counteract the food environment they live in. It drains healthcare systems financially while ignoring the root cause of widespread agricultural and nutritional failure.
Artificial selection driven by human preferences or economic utility rather than an organism’s natural fitness frequently introduces harmful mutations, reduces genetic diversity, and produces traits that would be fatal in the wild.
As with any society, individuals alone cannot influence this. Take for example circular economy that clearly requires government intervention to succeed. The government must step in to oversee evolution informed design as well. Circular economy itself is a hard problem to solve, and evolution informed design is even harder. But it's crucial we think about it.
The purpose for writing this article is two fold. First is to share the important message that we have to place more importance on addressing the root cause for the problem in addition to just providing an solution to it (Buddhist philosophy teaches this btw, have a look). The second is to consider the evolutionary impact before developing and deploying whatever the solutions out to the world over narrow capitalist gains fueled by greed and ignorance. Governments must promote these ideas within society, it will help towards a more sustainable world.
From a consumer point of view, be smart. Live a healthy lifestyle. You have a choice. Give your support on making the policies that bring actual progress. I strongly believe that capitalism is the best economic philosophy we have, but it will only work out in the long term if you have the proper policies to govern it.
Thanks for reading.
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