It seems that evolution doesn't apply to politics

[Cyrano]

Most of us have assumed that human progress is a straight line. We've gone from rock shelters, to straw huts, to tents, to bricks, to steel and glass. We've gone from images on cave walls, to DaVinci and Shakespeare, to Picasso and Mark Twain. We've gone from Archimedes and Pythagoras, to Newton and Einstein.

But what may be called "political intelligence" seems to be frozen in time. From Nero, to Attila the Hun, to Vlad the Impaler, to Mussolini, to a would-be dictator like Trump, many humans seem to be stuck in some kind of ancient time warp. Too often, majorities will tolerate a dictator they could overthrow. And far too many actually adore and vote for malicious "leaders," or outright sociopaths, who would take away all their rights in a heartbeat.

I'm puzzled by those who believe in, and even "idolize" the Orange Monster. There seems to be more going on than just lack of education in some, stupidity in others, and outright hatred of the "THEMS" in many.

Why does it seem that evolution has left so many behind? Beats me.

But let's bring all this down to today. The vast majority of Americans would exile Trump from this planet if they could. But a loud minority, (many in positions of power), are either too afraid of his voters, or want him to be the unquestionable "Dear Leader." To put this more clearly, his backers are either cowards, stupid beyond belief, or outright fascists.

In the meantime, most of us see this and are doing ... what?

Whatever it is we Dems, (including our leadership), are doing is not nearly enough. We're playing by rules. They aren't. We believe in democracy. They don't. We want a better world. They want ignorant followers who will do what they're told.

So to get back to that evolution thing. Have too many human beings been left behind for some unfathomable reason? Is "stupid" and/or "indifference" viruses with which some are infected? And, most importantly, will humanity survive long enough to overcome this current era which seems to be leading to a dystopian world?

To sum up, how do we stop the greedy, the power hungry, or just plain stupid pricks from taking over all of humanity?

P.S. All suggestions are welcome, but this is a dilemma that has existed for all of human history.

[Marcus IM]

1. Most of us who have studied anthropology 101 know that here are no straight lines of progress.

Problem in America is that a good education - or even decent basic ed - is hard to come by w/o money.

Good thing the rest of the developed world isn't like America.

[intrepidity]

2. Evolution--or rather, natural selection--takes a looooong time

Globalization and mass instantaneous-communication is so recent in our world that the effects just cannot be described in evolutionary terms. Or so it seems to me.

[Cyrano]

4. There's a difference between a looooong time and regression

I'm currently checking out the costs involved in cave rentals.

[TwilightZone]

6. Agreed.

Technological, scientific, and medical advances of just the past few decades have also dwarfed everything that came before.

[TwilightZone]

3. Human progress has rarely, if ever, been a straight line.

“First, the line of progress is never straight. For a period a movement may follow a straight line and then it encounters obstacles and the path bends. It is like curving around a mountain when you are approaching a city. Often if feels as though you were moving backwards, and you lose sight of your goal: but in fact you are moving ahead, and soon you will see the city again, closer by.”

--MLK, Jr.

Technological advances of just the past few decades have dwarfed the rest of human history. Similar exponential gains have been made in the medical and scientific communities.

Throughout history, there have also been innumerable stumbling blocks to progress, of course. The Dark Ages, the fall of Rome, a couple of world wars, genocide, civil wars, and the like.

There's nothing new about the greedy and power-hungry running the country or the world. The Robber Baron era comes to mind, but it's also not unique.

"The vast majority of Americans would exile Trump from this planet if they could."

Sadly, I don't think that's really true. I think nearly half the country tolerates (at the very least) him for their own reasons.

[Cyrano]

7. Our era may be considered a "Dark Age,"

Our scientific/technological/medical advancements may have outrun our ability to deal with them.

Nothing new about Robber Barons.

MLK, should go down in history as, not just a martyr, but a great, courageous activist/philosopher.

Most sane humans would like to see Trump leave this planet.

[TwilightZone]

9. The current era isn't even remotely a dark age.

Trump will, no doubt, negatively influence American culture, civil rights, politics, and economics for decades, but from a big-picture perspective, this is nothing. The impact of WWI and WWII, just to name a couple, were much more impactful globally and in the US than anything Trump has done, as were their aftermaths.

Many of those you mention as being left behind have been left behind for decades. Reagan started it, Newt kept it going, and McConnell, et al, shifted it into high gear. Clearly, issues like abortion have taken a big step back in the path of progress, but that process has been in motion since the day after Roe v. Wade was decided. It's been in high gear in red states for decades.

I think we often misinterpret support of (or voting for) Trump for approval of him personally. They aren't even remotely the same thing. Some support what he does, certainly, because Trumpism is a cult and they are the members. Some disapprove, some quite strongly, but are lifelong Republican voters. Some vote straight ticket. Some are issue voters. Some are apolitical. Some think any Republican is going to be better for their bottom line or their worldview than any Democrat. To them, the name at the top of the ticket doesn't matter. The (R) next to it does.

[intrepidity]

5. Notwithstanding my post above, there *are* natural selection processes in play

in terms of why assholery survives. Witness the massive difference in birthrates between religious fanatics and more conscientious members of societies. That must have an effect.

Now look at the positive (and negative) feedback loops of wealth inequality in terms of health and add that to the equation.

If humans weren't so corrupt and corruptible, I might have some hope that AGI would eventually help us straighten this mess out, but the way things look, it'll probably end up making things much worse.

Sigh.

[Cyrano]

8. I fully get the "Sigh." I've been feeling that way for many years.

[ExWhoDoesntCare]

10. Oh dear

We've gone from images on cave walls, to DaVinci and Shakespeare, to Picasso and Mark Twain. We've gone from Archimedes and Pythagoras, to Newton and Einstein.

Your examples of progress are themselves quite dated, and you're criticizing others for being stuck in the past? I mean, Einstein has been dead 68 years. Picasso has been dead for half a century. And Mark Twain has been dead for 113 years. You did know that...right?

Maybe before criticizing others for being stuck in any kind of past, you might consider updating your own ideas about science, art and literature first?

[Elessar Zappa]

11. Why so rude?

[Cyrano]

12. Thanks, Elessar Zappa

My references were not to individuals, but to human progress. You get it.

[Takket]

13. the OP's point was to demonstate the flow of progress over time in areas outside politics

not sure why how long these historical figures have been dead makes any difference. they all laid foundations that others built upon