Wednesday, 7 October 2026

The Other Meaning of Darwin

Charles Darwin's pathbreaking "The Origin of Species" was followed by "The Descent of Man." Here Darwin meant genealogical descent of humans from earlier animal species. It may be mentioned here in passing that this idea was anticipated in the Hindu Dashavatara theory. Bronowski produced a TV series & a book called "The Ascent of Man" where he implied the cultural ascent or rising from earlier animal species.

The only difference between humans & the rest of creation is curiosity about the external world & who may have created it. (God?). Sadly these differences seem to be vanishing, pulling down humans towards non human creation. The only human interest seems to be strictly confined to acquiring material wealth & status,  hitting out all other interests out of the park. We seem to be building a human (?) society without God (apart from temple runs to get wealth & status) & without any interest in culture.

The only acceptable human goals especially in India seem to be clearing competitive exams (and on succeeding, become like the infamous dog-walking couple) or build a successful start-up, and become a slave driving corporate honcho, exploiting vulnerable fellow creatures. 

Darwin might be turning in his grave to see the (social & cultural) descent of man into the abyss of a (biblical) "Golden Calf" worshipping society of unapologetic philistines.