First published 2019
Nicholas Christakis examines how natural selection equipped humans with beneficial social traits that shape civilization. Scientists have long emphasized our darker impulses like aggression and prejudice, but Christakis focuses on our innate capacities for love, friendship, cooperation, and learning. He argues that genes influence not just individual bodies and behaviors but also how we construct societies. These societies show remarkable similarities across different cultures and contexts. Christakis draws evidence from historical and contemporary cultures, shipwreck survivors forming new communities, utopian commune members, online groups, and artificially intelligent bots. He also examines social arrangements among elephants and dolphins that mirror human patterns. Despite humanity's violent history, we cannot escape our biological blueprint for creating good societies. The author reveals how genes have shaped civilizations for human welfare over thousands of years, while societies continue to influence genetic development through ongoing feedback loops.
Genres: science, anthropology, evolution, non-fiction, biology, academic
Vibes: thought-provoking
Tropes: academic, scientific
544 pages · Hardcover · Little, Brown Spark