The Race to Cooperation

It’s easy to tell ourselves we’re living in the world we want –
one where Darwinian evolution drives competing technology
platforms and capitalism pushes nations to maximize GDP
regardless of externalities like carbon emissions. It can feel
like evolution and competition are all there is.


If that’s a complete description of what’s driving the world and
our collective destiny, that can feel pretty hopeless. But what
if that’s not the whole story of evolution? 


This is where evolutionary theorist, author, and professor David
Sloan Wilson comes in. He has documented where an enlightened
game, one of cooperation, rather than competition, is possible.
His work shows that humans can and have chosen values like
cooperation, altruism and group success – versus individual
competition and selfishness – at key moments in our evolution,
proving that evolution isn’t just genetic. It’s cultural, and
it’s a choice. 


In a world where our trajectory isn’t tracking in the direction
we want, it's time to slow down and ask: is a different kind of
conscious evolution possible? 


On Your Undivided Attention, we’re going to update the
Darwinian principles of evolution using a critical scientific
lens that can help upgrade our ability to cooperate – ranging
from the small community-level, all the way to entire technology
companies that can cooperate in ways that allow everyone to
succeed. 

RECOMMENDED MEDIA

This View of Life: Completing the Darwinian Revolution by David
Sloan Wilson


Prosocial: Using Evolutionary Science to Build Productive,
Equitable, and Collaborative Groups by David Sloan Wilson


Atlas Hugged: The Autobiography of John Galt III by David Sloan
Wilson


Governing the Commons: The Evolution of Institutions for
Collective Action by Elinor Ostrom


Hit Refresh by Satya Nadella


WTF? What’s the Future and Why It’s Up to Us by Tim O’Reilly


Hard Drive: Bill Gates and the Making of the Microsoft Empire by
James Wallace & Jim Erickson
 


RECOMMENDED YUA EPISODES 

An Alternative to Silicon Valley Unicorns with Mara Zepeda &
Kate “Sassy” Sassoon

A Problem Well-Stated is Half-Solved with Daniel
Schmachtenberger 

Your Undivided Attention is produced by the Center for
Humane Technology. Follow us on Twitter: @HumaneTech_