The Fittest will Prevail

When discussing Darwin’s theories and revelations of evolution, I first think of natural selection and “survival of the fittest.” This coined term is so often used nowadays, even in an advertisement to urge people to drink more milk. Kind of a stretch, if you ask me. Natural selection had me thinking about how future humans will evolve, and what traits will be the most useful to them, if Darwin’s theories hold true.


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In regards to Nicholas Carr’s article “Is Google Making us Stupid?” I found myself constantly using Google in order to find more sources, and articles to support my own revelations. On top of that, I found myself skimming through actual books, wishing I had the technological luxury of the simple “command + f “ shortcut in order to instantly find and highlight the terms I was searching for. Are these “luxuries” and “shortcuts” actually making us stupid? Or are they rather assisting us into further exploring our thoughts? Carr notes that already he is noticing a change in the way he thinks, "My mind isn’t going—so far as I can tell—but it’s changing. I’m not thinking the way I used to think" (Carr).

In Kurt Vonnegut’s novel Galápagos, a group of humans become shipwrecked on a fictional island in the Galápagos Islands, who evolve over the next one million years into aquatic mammals, due to adaption and “survival of the fittest.” Along with the whole changing into aquatic mammals, their brains also get smaller. Swimming was much more of a necessity than intelligence, thus more streamlined heads, and smaller brains, were more necessary for survival. Perhaps, because of the convenience and shortcuts thanks to the interwebs and technology in general, we will begin to lose simple problem-solving skills and patience, but that’s alright because our eyes will adjust to staring at LCD screens all day. In Jamais Cascio's article "Get Smarter," he argues that the reason humans are even here today is because they smartened up way back in the day. For example, humans "transformed the ability to target a moving animal with a thrown rock into a capability for foresight and long-term planning. In the process, [humans] may have developed syntax and formal structure from our simple language" (Cascio). A much different form of adaption in comparison to the humans in Vonnegut's novel.

In Philip K. Dick’s short story “Pay the Printer” the humans become dependent on the alien species, Biltongs, for building everything for them. When the Biltongs become extinct, however, where does this leave them? They must rediscover the term “building.” Though it may seem implausible, what would humans nowadays do if the Internet, or computers for that matter were to disappear? Because we have adapted to such a face-paced, convenient means of information, it would be very difficult to get used to an old medium, especially for the generation that was raised on the web.

Even though the human race may not be evolving into aquatic mammals, or depending on alien species for everything, if Darwin’s theory of evolution is correct then in a million years from now, that is if the earth was not yet been engulfed by the sun and if we all survive 2012, then humans will have evolved in one way or another. Whether humans turn into giant felines, like in Philip K. Dick's short story "Strange Eden," or they are only born with four toes because the fifth is not needed for survival, the fittest will prevail.

Carr, Nicholas. "Is Google Making Us Stupid? The Atlantic. 2007.
http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200807/google

Dick, Philip K. The Philip K. Dick Reader, New York: Citadel Press. 1987

Cascio, Jamais. "Get Smarter." The Atlantic, July/August. 2007.
http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200907/intelligence