From Amoeba to Hive: The Limits of Growth

I recently had a discussion with a friend about how “the tranquil days of the Arhats are gone”. Our conversation went on and on, and we eventually concluded that the modern perspective now leans more towards, well: Evolutionism.What I mean by that.

odern humans are undeniably captivated by the concept of evolving. To the point where the mere desire to lead just a good life is sometimes met with feelings of shame and stigma. Not wanting to improve, not wanting to evolve continuously (and continuously is here the key word) is not a life philosophy that gains modern respect. The modern human has even developed a deep connection with the idea of evolution. Except if you ask me, this connection is not only deep but equally automated, mechanical and profoundly infused from the mass culture. Because unlike Arhats, who possess the discernment to recognize the moment when evolution becomes a tangible reality, transcending the membrane of transformation, many of us resemble a donkey lured by an unreachable carrot named evolution. Year by year and sometimes decade after decade. A part of me argues against what I just wrote, saying, “Well what is wrong with becoming the process itself when this process is the evolution? Life changes anyway, independently of our will, so why not choose to evolve instead of merely changing?”. Touché! Except, precisely that! At times, the modern person yearns to align with evolution itself, to become one with it, and to blissfully merge with evolution until the end of time. The modern pressure is not merely to be a small part of what this ‘evolution’ will culminate in but to embody evolution itself. However, we as individuals are inherently… transient. And well, this is such a game breaker! Even more, the ultimate revelation of how much we have evolved, if at all, whether we have simply changed or what role we played in the big evolution itself — will truly become apparent only one time, in a very exclusive moment: when time itself will draw to a close. Regrettably, we won’t be there to witness it.So, let’s keep it real for now and pose some questions that our hurried pace toward evolution tends to overlook. In the first place, why do humans harbor such wishes to evolve and transcend? Is it Darwin, who made us believe in evolutionary superstars? Is it the New Age movement and the promise of quantum leaps? Is it the influence of past industrial and technological revolutions? Is it a trend, a conspiracy, an instinct? Humans desire to touch the transcendental since the beginning of the world; it is so, a Longing? Or perhaps is just we being bored? Or is it as simple as humans sharing the fear common to all social animals: falling behind in a competitive world. Perhaps not everything is rotten in Denmark, and there’s still an opportunity to find some “gold of the day” at the end of these lines. Let’s see!

he human obsession with potential is a complex phenomenon rooted in our psychology, existentialism, history, and society. The desire for progress and evolution is not new and yet in the past decades’ masses are more interested in improving and evolving like never in history before. Beyond all of these the drive to evolve is not exclusive to humans; it is deeply ingrained in nature. It’s a fundamental characteristic of life itself, marked by an inherent restlessness — a ceaseless drive to overcome limitations and reach new heights or depths. Life, in its essence, it is said to be the ultimate virus, because it will find a way, any way to continue to exist in a form or another. And this restless pursuit of evolving, sometimes becomes… involution.

Par exemple, in mathematics, an involution (involutory function), or self-inverse function is a function f that is its own inverse. If we dress this up in a metaphorical cloak and apply it to the human condition and our ‘’bettering culture’’, the calculus will be this: in order to obtain x — all you have to do is change everything that you are and become your own inverse.

So, what we sometimes call evolution it is in fact involution.

Another example is for instance, when our psyche experiences trauma, it is a form of involution and it does so in order to continue to exist, preferably in a functional way. Similarly in the process of adapting to external demands, we often might experience internal conflicts or internal splits. Complete transformation then, often requires letting go of these divided parts. In specialized literature this is seen as symbolically “killing off”. Like a suicide to a part of yourself that you’ve decided no longer serves you. Quite brutal isn’t so. Such a kamikaze attitude is welcome when the stakes are truly harmful. But consider the example of someone who’s been deeply hurt in love and decides to better up, to radically evolve. And so, decides to go smart at the root of all it, and “kill off” the part of themselves that craves love. They might adopt a subversive mindset like “It’s okay if no one loves me. In fact, it’s okay if no one will ever love me again. I decide now that I’ll be fine anyway”. This might seem wise — or I don’t know how it actually seems to you — but it’s in fact a poignant example of the complexity of human psychology and our ability to adapt to challenging circumstances. And again, a necessary differentiation: adaptation is not the same as evolution. The example is not mine and no, not of a friend of a friend. Is Madonna’s who famously said at one point that “Power is being told you’re not loved and not being destroyed by it.” Yet hold your hats, decades later, here she is worrying about how to at least test the love of new generations. In this time-tested pop context, I want to introduce you just for a bit, a different kind of superstar. I promise I will get back at the personal sensum of the evolution loop, but let’s look just a bit macro. Elevate you vision! And I promise is still a lady with still an Italian name: Donella H. Meadows.You see, Donella did not suffer publicly from love, not visibly at least, and she was not for the mainstreams. She seemed to be instead all about deep wild paths, far from the hustle of flea markets. In 1972, she teamed up with the Club of Rome, this international think tank in Switzerland, to tackle some seriously big questions about the world’s present and future. They were curious about the sustainability of global growth and… evolution.In the context of societal evolution, they thought that ‘’better, bigger, smarter, harder’’ is suuuuch a flex! But first yet, to consider a bit and “The Limits to Growth”. The key points of her findings on “The Limits to Growth: A Report for the Club of Rome’s Project on the Predicament of Mankind” included two cool tricks: System Dynamics Modelling and Exponential Growth. The study used system dynamics modelling to simulate the interactions between various factors generating global evolution. The model included variables like population growth, industrialization, food production, and resource consumption. One of the central arguments of the study was that many key factors were growing exponentially while the Earth’s resources were err! finite. Just like our personal resources. This led to the conclusion that unlimited exponential growth would eventually lead to overshooting the planet’s carrying capacity. Now you see, I grew up with New Age tutorials from YouTube. The vehement part of me would politely ask you to take your hands off me! If I know something for sure is that capacity is something, you can! expand. With effort everything is possible, we’re smart and we can invent our way out of this!Yet, the study highlighted the potential consequences of unchecked growth, and the key word here is unchecked. The researchers suggested that if these trends of evolution continued, it could result in a global collapse, emphasizing that humanity needed to take action to change the course of development within the coming decades to avert a massive and real crisis.So, our concept of evolution doesn’t align with the Earth’s own evolution? Wow, that’s a bit surprising, isn’t it?!Some critics argued that the models used in ‘’The Limits to Growth ‘’, were oversimplified and that technological innovations and human adaptability could mitigate the challenges posed by the study. And so, the original study was followed by several updated editions, including “Beyond the Limits” in 1992 and “Limits to Growth: The 30-Year Update” in 2004, which extended and refined the models and reevaluated the scenarios with new data. These subsequent editions continued to stress the importance of sustainable evolution and I would add now an actual need to rethink the values we use to define evolution.As such, the next time you hear a mechanical but oh so proudly friend, foe or slogan going: “Never stop learning,” “Magic happens outside your comfort zone,” and “Expand your limits,” take a breather. Remain sane! Do we really need to learn absolutely everything? Like truly? Is magic only waiting for us outside our cozy spots? Does it? It that even magic or is just the joy you evolved; you outgrow yourself. What a win!Should we always force the limits, even the ones that seem etched in stone? Quite an imperial mindset there! It is lame to accept that the world itself is full of limits? From the walls of a glass of water to the limits of a person, of a country and even of evolution. Why even the most limitless persons (extreme sporters, astronauts) in order to rest, need 4 walls or limits around? Well, limits, aren’t just physical. They’re also within our minds, as the slogans suggest. According to quantum physics, our brains establish boundaries, surfaces and lines to maintain our sanity. In reality, everything even the matter is in a constant state of flux. And to prevent our minds from becoming forever blowen away, it hallucinates boundaries like surfaces and parameters. We can say so that limits are like reality’s secret code.Hence, if and only if you want to have an okish relationship with this reality, tomorrow before bettering yourself and sending admiration to all the self-improvers out there we all have and love, it is crucial to consider for a moment the trends we’ve proclaimed as ‘’evolution’’. Let’s assess today how sustainable your drive for evolution really is. Let me ask you this:

In the pursuit of self-improvement, you find yourself in conflict with the principles of evolution to say so?

Life and evolution existed long before and will probably exist long after us. And while evolution, in a biological sense, is a slow and gradual process that occurs over countless generations, human society and culture are marked by ultra rapid change, marked by innovation, technology, and shapeshifting ideology. This accelerated change can sometimes create tension between our way of defining evolution and the way evolutionary processes actually works. For example, evolution says a tomato needs two-three seasons to be nourishing for consumption. People argue that one artificial season is sufficient, prioritizing speed.

Does our contemporary wish for perpetual evolution truly resonate with our inherent human nature, or does it ultimately result in feelings of alienation and discontent?

When we contemplate the psychological and the cultural facets of this dilemma, we can notice some markers: the relentless chase for novelty, the constant drive for self-actualization and the need for success. All these are not a thirst and are not a whim. Are the modern imposed coin to buy us the right to happiness.In order to reaffirm what I’ve just said, I’d like to pose you with this question: — From your perspective, is it permissible to lead a life abundant in happiness even if one is lazy and not even trying to achieve any forms of success? And take a minute; try some deep thinking. What coins we have to use to buy us that societal permission?If we were to analyze deeply into the markers and the widespread forces driving these phenomena, it is essential to pause briefly and have a conversation about Abraham Maslow and its impact.

he Hierarchy of Needs model is a concept known to virtually everyone. It is commonly employed not only by individuals but also by decision-making institutions, companies and teams.

Typically, decision makers and organizations first focus on addressing basic needs for their communities as a foundational step before progressing towards more refined and aspirational goals. From ensuring basic Physiological Needs (food, water, and shelter), to Safety Needs (physical and financial security), to then Love and Belongingness Needs (social connections and a sense of belonging), to Esteem Needs (contexts of respect and recognition from others), in order to end with Self-Actualization Needs (pursuit of personal growth). But did you know… that Maslow’s theory is incomplete? Not because he was incompetent, but simply because he passed away before completing it. Therefore, it’s worth noting among others that we operate with an incomplete theory. This says quite a lot. Maslow’s original pyramid, although a cornerstone in social psychology, lacks its pinnacle that Maslow was working on: Self-transcendence. Arhats?!

Anyway, to continue for this one I dare a second question: — If you’re a person who performs acts of kindness for others and for the betterment of the world, but from this day forward not a soul in time and space and on earth will ever know that you are the doing good, would you still approach it with the same fervor?

Ultimately, do we consider enough — but like for real and brave not just at a declarative level — how our actions as individuals impact not only our own well-being and not only our relationships with each other, but also the larger evolutionary mechanisms?

Because, as time winds down, what we now term as ‘’evolution’’ may not still hold the same definition. I imagine sometimes how the Amoeba, ages ago, could never have envisioned its eventual evolution into beings like us. Similarly, in the millennia and aeons to come, we might appear as Amoebas to other evolved life forms. What I hope for is that these future entities will have developed the capacity to evolve not out of discontentment. Or at least temper the desire for change in a way that minimizes inner discord.

note akin to the ultimate anarchists, in a forever search of what lies beyond: ‘’Hey, what transcends evolution?’’.