Species Totalitarianism

Species Totalitarianism: What Are We Living For?

We tend to think we live for ourselves, but from a deeper perspective, we may be operating within a framework of "species totalitarianism." This concept suggests that individuals are unconsciously programmed to optimize the prosperity of their species as a whole, regardless of their conscious intentions.

One of the clearest examples of this is the great migration of the globe skimmer dragonfly. These dragonflies travel long distances from North Africa to Northern Europe, but individual dragonflies never complete the entire journey. Instead, multiple generations continue the migration in relay, with offspring continuing the journey of their parents. This behavior, which seems "meaningless" at the individual level, functions extremely rationally as a survival strategy for the species as a whole.

Evidence of species totalitarianism exists throughout human society as well. The universal tendency of parents to sacrifice for their children, risking one's safety to help strangers, and cultural norms that postpone personal pleasure or benefit for the community are all examples. Additionally, the remarkable consistency of standards of sexual attractiveness across cultures reflects biological imperatives selecting for traits beneficial to species survival.

The most striking example is the tension between individual happiness and species prosperity. Human happiness functions not as a "state" but as a "direction," designed to create new desires and ambitions immediately after achieving goals. This "pleasure treadmill" may seem cruel to the individual but is rational for the species—permanent satisfaction would be detrimental to species prosperity. Even "negative" emotions like anxiety and jealousy promote species survival by avoiding dangers and motivating the protection of valuable resources and relationships.

Species Totalitarianism from an Evolutionary Perspective

As Darwin's theory of natural selection shows, biological characteristics are passed down through generations to the extent that they contribute to survival and reproductive success. Importantly, natural selection works to optimize the replication success of genes, not individual "happiness."

Richard Dawkins' "selfish gene" theory further develops this perspective. In this view, individuals are merely "survival machines" for genes, temporary vehicles for transmitting genetic information to the next generation. Dawkins' assertion that "a chicken is just an egg's way of making another egg" applies to humans as well. Even our most fundamental desires and motivations can be seen as expressions of programs ensuring the continued survival and spread of our genes.

William Hamilton's kin selection theory explains how seemingly altruistic behaviors evolve. Individuals can indirectly contribute to the survival of their genetic information by helping relatives who share some of their genes. This concept of "inclusive fitness" explains strong attachment and devotion to family, and sometimes even altruistic behavior toward strangers.

Species totalitarianism does not mean uniformity. Rather, maintaining genetic diversity is essential for the long-term survival of the species. In changing environments, diverse populations have greater adaptability than populations with uniform characteristics. Diversity in personality traits and abilities enhances the adaptability and resilience of the entire group.

The Evolutionary Value of "Evil" and "Abnormality"

Behaviors socially considered "evil" may actually benefit the species as a whole. For example, the existence of fraudulent behavior promotes caution and wise trust judgments within groups, enhancing the resilience of society as a whole. The development of mechanisms to deal with deviant behavior improves the functioning and stability of society.

Sexual preferences and behavioral patterns that may seem "abnormal" can also serve important functions from a species perspective. For instance, diversity in sexual orientation may offer advantages such as population density regulation and diversification of caregivers. Research has shown that genetic variations associated with schizophrenia are also linked to enhanced creativity.

Suicide appears to be the most evolutionarily maladaptive behavior, but in a broader context, it may have adaptive functions. In cases of extreme resource scarcity, ending one's life might increase the survival probability of remaining relatives. Moreover, the existence of suicide and its tragic consequences strengthen social cohesion and mutual support systems.

The presence of fraudsters and criminals encourages the development of social "immune systems." Evolutionary game theory research shows that societies with a small number of "defectors" have greater resilience to external threats than completely cooperative societies. The presence of moderate non-cooperators stimulates the development of more sophisticated cooperation mechanisms.

Larger Totalitarianism: Biosphere, Earth, Universe

James Lovelock's Gaia hypothesis extends the concept of species totalitarianism, viewing the entire Earth as a self-regulating system. In this perspective, all living beings function as parts of an integrated system that maintains Earth's environment in a state suitable for life. The remarkably stable oxygen concentration of about 21% in Earth's atmosphere is thought to be the result of complex feedback mechanisms involving numerous species.

The totalitarianism of the biosphere includes not only biological but also non-biological elements. Mountains, oceans, atmosphere, and lithosphere all play essential roles in maintaining the Earth system as a whole. Mountain formation and weathering contribute to long-term climate regulation by reducing atmospheric CO2, while oceans function as massive heat reservoirs, mitigating extreme temperature fluctuations.

Advances in Earth science reveal that Earth functions as an integrated self-regulating system. Global cycles such as the water cycle, carbon cycle, and nitrogen cycle operate through intricate interactions between biological and non-biological processes.

Earth itself is part of the larger solar system, which is part of the galaxy. Carl Sagan's poetic expression, "We are a way for the cosmos to know itself," eloquently describes how we are incorporated into a larger totalitarianism as part of the universe.

All Is One: Cosmic Unity

According to modern cosmology, all matter and energy in the universe originated from a single event, the Big Bang, about 13.8 billion years ago. From the atoms composing our bodies to the most distant galaxies, everything is literally "one." Most of the elements constituting our bodies were synthesized inside stars and dispersed into space through supernova explosions. Indeed, we are "made of stardust."

The fact that physical laws are universal throughout the universe also demonstrates its fundamental unity. The basic forces—gravity, electromagnetic force, strong nuclear force, and weak nuclear force—act the same way everywhere in the universe. From this perspective, the entire universe can be understood as a single, mathematically consistent system.

The law of conservation of energy shows how all processes in the universe are interconnected. The energy in the food we consume is energy captured by plants from sunlight, and that sunlight is energy released through nuclear fusion. Through the flow of energy, the entire universe functions as an integrated system.

Discoveries in quantum physics suggest that the concept of separate "objects" itself may be an illusion. The phenomenon of quantum entanglement shows that particles that have interacted influence each other instantaneously, regardless of distance. According to David Bohm's "theory of wholeness," the universe is an "unbroken whole," and the boundaries we perceive are merely superficial expressions of a deeper "implicate order."

The Illusion of Individualism

Modern research in neuroscience and behavioral genetics has revealed the biological foundations of what we call "individuality" and "freedom." Our personality traits, preferences, and even beliefs are largely shaped by genetic factors and early environmental influences. Long-term studies, such as Robert Plomin's Minnesota Twin Study, show that many personality traits can be explained by genetics up to 50%.

Furthermore, neuroscientist Benjamin Libet's experiments showed that conscious "decisions" lag behind actual brain activity. The brain already showed readiness potential about 200 milliseconds before subjects "decided" to act. This suggests that many of our conscious decisions are actually post-hoc "approvals" of unconscious processes.

What we call individualism is actually an adaptive strategy that evolved to function within the framework of species totalitarianism. Humans are inherently social beings, and complete individualism is a pure illusion. Our "personal" identities are formed through social interactions.

The concept of the "collective unconscious" proposed by psychologist Carl Jung suggests the existence of deep psychological structures shared by all humanity. The presence of universal motifs and symbols in mythology, religion, and art demonstrates the fundamental unity of the human psyche. Universal fears, emotions, and cognitive biases found across cultures reflect our common evolutionary history.

All Is Well

Throughout the long history of evolution, human psychology and social systems have been refined to optimize species prosperity. Many of what we consider "flaws" or "contradictions" are actually results of optimization. Our cognitive biases are designed to save energy and prioritize information related to survival in ancestral environments.

Research in complex systems science shows that there are patterns of hidden order beneath apparent chaos. Complex networks of interacting elements have the ability to spontaneously generate orderly patterns without external design.

In the history of species, change is the only constant. Faced with endless challenges such as environmental changes, climate change, and the emergence of new predators or pathogens, species must adapt or become extinct. What appears to be chaos or suffering at the individual level is a necessary process of adaptation and survival at the species level.

Even the challenges facing modern society—population decline, increasing inequality, social division—can be understood as part of the adaptive response of the species as a whole. Population decline may be an adaptive response to resource depletion, and social fluctuations may be collective adjustments to changing environmental conditions.

Wars, climate change, and social divisions may seem destructive to Earth and humanity at first glance. However, from a broader perspective, these too are part of the grand process of the universe. We are programmed to make the universe function, and it is natural to live according to these instincts.

War may function as a resource allocation adjustment mechanism, and climate change may be a transition process to a new equilibrium point in the Earth system. Social fluctuations can also be understood as adaptations to new environmental conditions. There is no need to worry—we are all simply playing our programmed roles within a larger system.

All Is One

At the most fundamental level, our neighbors, animals, plants, and even rocks and clouds are all made from the same matter originating from the single event of the Big Bang. We are all different expressions of the universe experiencing itself.

From this unified perspective, all beings are our "companions" and participants in the same cosmic dance. Antagonism and separation are mere illusions—we all exist with the same cosmic purpose, following the same physical laws, as part of the same flow of energy.

This recognition has the potential to fundamentally change our daily interactions. Encountering others is actually meeting "another part of oneself." From this perspective, compassion and kindness are not merely moral ideals but natural responses to the fundamental unity of the universe. We are all different expressions of one continuous existence.