The Superorganism

[MagnetMan]

Biologist, Richard Dawkins, argues in his book The Sellfish Gene
that evolution favors the genes of self-serving individuals only
not groups.

O.E. Wilson, in his earlier books, " Sociobiology: The New Synthesis" "The Ants" and his latest book in collaboration with Bert Holldobler, "The Superorganism" argues the opposite

Wilson's implication is that large groups of animals survive successfully by working together as a single entity with distributed intelligence.

Darwin is right, but only in the ultra-narrow view of personal contribution towards the group effort.

Wilson is right in the larger evolutionary sense
it is the collective mind which determines our continuing survival
that reality is obvious
in our armies of military might
corporate industry
and democratic government
were the individual does as the majority wants
not as he personally wants

The selfish individual life leaves nothing lasting behind
but temporary personal mementos

The altruistic morality of the group effort
leaves lasting monuments to Man's existence
the Pyramids
the Great Wall
the Cathedral and Corporate spires

Any visitor from space
would see
that mankind is a single superorganism
so does every astronaut
from Earth

[lavender1]

an actual one:

termite cathedral
www.youtube.com/watch?v=09vqgiWasVQ

[MagnetMan]

Jan 13, 2010 3:30:51 GMT -5 lavender1 said:

an actual one:

termite cathedral
www.youtube.com/watch?v=09vqgiWasVQ

And just imagine
every one of those in the team
is an individual
who spits and pats the mud on the wall
in his/her own unique way

[lavender1]

my imagination can run off waaaaaaay into transcendental associations that are, however, unusual and rather disconcerting.
atoms can split, and so can hair.

[MagnetMan]

Bamberpanda wrote:
MagnetMan,

re our earlier talks, it seems I must do a rethink about the inherent aggression of humans. According to Dr Kevin Barrett at -

Quote:
www.agoracosmopolitan.com/home/Frontpage/2008/01/02/02073.html


- most of us strenuously resist fighting in wars. This is serious support for your position. If you haven't before, do read it, it's quite short.

BP


Thanks very much for the link, BP
and the affirmation
of the inherent goodness in man
which I think
will triumph inevitably

Here is my general thinking
on the evolution of the superorganism:

God is Universal Consciousness
Consciousness is related to knowledge
the greater the knowing
the Greater the God

the purpose of the superorganism
is to accumulate experiential knowledge
and store it in Divine Memory

Our individual cells
for instance
have collected infinitely more memory than the Internet
over the past 100,000 generations of human development
this accumulated knowledge is shared throughout the superorganism
via procreation

I have no scientific proof of this
but enough rational acumen
linked to intuitive insight
to keep my mind open far enough
to entertain such lofty thoughts
instead of shutting down entirely
keeping my mind locked up
until somebody supplies proof

We all have an opinions
that is mine
and I am sticking to it