NORTHERN PLANNER

Darwinism is probably one of the best pieces of thinking any human has ever done. Like the best ideas, it seems so beautifully simple now. The basic of successful species surviving thanks to evolving better to suit their environment – at the expense of those that haven’t- can be applied to far more than biology. You see it in social systems, economic systems and, dare I say, brands. But that doesn’t mean it’s prefect. Nature doesn’t necessarily know better.

Evolution still comes down to luck- genes will mutate in a certain way or not, and it certainly doesn’t mean that it’s as good as it could possibly be. Nature sometimes cocks up. Like the fact that sunflowers brilliantly follow the path of the sun, but in a perfect world, would have evolved legs to walk out of shadow, or the fact humans had to develop a much narrower pelvis to walk upright, which in turn means that childbirth is harder and our young are born at a much younger and vulnerable age. There’s the fact that our retinas have blind spots the mind fits in. For the humble male, our reproductive organs are in a ridiculously vulnerable spot, as anyone who’s been kicked in the balls in the playground will confirm…and that’s thanks to evolution putting sperm outside the body for a cooler temperature (which makes for embarrassing self consciousness in swimming pools no?).

So when we think of evolving systems , it’s very dangerous to think of leaving things be, be that a biological one, or a socio economic one. When you see a shiny new development, maybe it’s better to stop admiring it and wondering what’s WRONG with it. Consider hydrogen cars, coming to save the fragile atmosphere. The by product is neutral water vapor. ACE!

But hold on, isn’t water vapor is actually THE most effective greenhouse gas? Doesn’t a warmer planet actually mean the atmosphere can hold more moisture? More rain? More flooding? More clouds? I’m not a climatologist, but I do believe that new and better doesn’t mean perfect.