I’ve always loved the idea of human wings, but why would evolution give them to us?

As we reflect human evolution here at jorg&olif, it is challenging to consider it without giving some thought to the leaps and bounds in medical science. When we have technology at our fingertips, evolution is no longer a biological natural selection concept. We can play with our genes.

While some are excited by this, I know that the potential of medical science hugely frightens me, particularly after reading Bryan Appleyard’s thought-provoking book, How to Live Forever or Die Trying. It ponders questions about what eternal life would mean for humans, and what would happen if “death became negotiable, would we still fall in love or have children?” Plus, it raises a valid question as to whether living forever is deeply selfish, given the infinite potential of population. Could that cause a slow and devastating extinction?

Apparently, the first person to live to be 1,000 years old has already been born…

Gene manipulation could be seen as slowing down and considering humans more carefully. But, in my eyes it is actually speeding up what has only ever been a natural process.  Are we rushing into the unknown?

Some evolutionary theorists such as Oliver Curry believe that H.G. Wells 1895 novel The Time Machine and Aldous Huxley’s 1932 book Brave New World – where there are distinct divisions of human classes – may be quite insightful. We just need to wait 100,000 years for it to be verified. In the meantime, the next 1,000 years will make us all equally coffee-coloured.

Curry, who has been working in this area for some time, does not specifically confirm my theory of super-strength thumbs but I think it’s quite suggestive given his comments that we may “pay a genetic price for technology”.

With our technological direction, there is another alarming statement from Curry: “Social skills, such as communicating and interacting with others, could be lost, along with emotions such as love, sympathy, trust and respect.”

As humans evolve, I am sure that our emotions are developing too, and, aside from the horrors of modern-day war that tends to stem purely from greed (or those fighting it), compared with 100 years ago, we appear to be a more social race, where new dads get paternity leave, minority groups can vote and fundamentally we all believe in equal rights.

And don’t we slow down to debate the philosophies of utilitarianism, libertarianism and moral worth and, – the most contentious of them all – religious beliefs and what we teach our children about evolution? Through social evolution, we have choices and, I believe, responsibility.

A caring species, in times of need when there are no sides, we more often than not come together in times of natural disaster to support and soothe our fellow homosapiens, such as the Indian Ocean Tsunami of 2004 and more recently, the Haiti earthquake.

Regardless of how we may act under political and corporate duress, as a collective we don’t really like destruction.

We must be reminded of what Charles Darwin himself stated:
In the long history of humankind (and animal kind, too) those who learned to collaborate and improvise most effectively have prevailed.

Darwin Day

Image 1: Ryan Somma
Image 2: Paul Keller
Image 3: Woodley Wonderworks

How can you create a less hurried, more rounded learning environment  for your child in a fast-paced world? The Steiner method is one of the most established educational philosophies that allows children to discover the world at their own pace, and in many ways it can be seen as a form of Slow Education.

Not every child can enjoy the benefits of a full Steiner education, but its basic principles extend far beyond the classroom, and can be used by parents to help children learn and grow at home.

The Steiner method essentially lets children take the lead in where they want their learning to go, giving natural aptitudes and interests the chance to develop naturally. It sits at odds with the idea that early specialisation breeds academic success, and aims to develop children’s physical, emotional, intellectual, cultural and spiritual needs equally.

There are many ways that this philosophy can be put into practice at home, but a few important guidelines are:

Let your child be a child. Let him or her enjoy the richness of childhood without feeling the need to grow up too fast. Some parents worry if their children seem less mature than their peers, but unless there is a definite cause for concern, such as not developing speech within a normal age range, then they are probably just enjoying this precious time that’s over much too quickly for all of us.

Answer your child’s questions. Many parents tire of their children’s constant questioning on every small detail of life, but this natural curiosity is where learning starts, and it should be nurtured wherever possible. If an answer is not within your capabilities, take your child to the library and help him or her find the answer.

Think about the five principles of the Steiner method and make sure that none of these areas are neglected: physical, emotional, intellectual, cultural and spiritual.

If you’d like to know more about the principles of Steiner education, Lynne Oldfield’s Free To Learn is a useful title, available on Amazon.

Image: Kevin Krejci