• Darwin’s Acid

    In 1859 Darwin spilled the first splashes
    Of his universal acid, and the effects were like magic
    Burning human arrogance into ashes
    In pretty much the same way that Copernican math did
    No, the stars don’t shine just to improve the view from earth
    No, we’re not the centre of the universe
    No, we weren’t created in the image of Jupiter
    No, we’re not so special, and yes, the truth hurts
    But that’s how evolution works – once it’s been applied
    The acid burns into the superstitious side
    Of the human mind, and fills it with light

    Baba Brinkman
    Baba Brinkman

    It even dissolves the original sin of pride
    The pride that says: “I’m a special creation
    And my creator has given me dominion over nature
    And he has the power to replenish his creatures
    So if species go extinct, he can recreate them later
    And if he doesn’t, well that’s just part of his plan”
    Ah, but Darwin’s acid is hard to withstand
    It plucks the arrogance deep from within the hearts of man
    And teaches us never to build our houses on sand
    But instead to try to understand why we’re here
    One species among millions in this biosphere
    Each with millions of ancestors, whose fighting spirits
    Combined to give us this great survival gear

    These minds, these limbs, these incredible tools
    Perfected by millennia of competitive use
    And yes, these attention-seeking genitals too
    Without them, these living forms could never improve
    It’s such an elegant view, full of breadth and grandeur
    And yet, some people react with depression and anger

    Like: “It’s so unsympathetic, so viciously random!
    What’s the point of compassion, or ethical standards?
    If this is just a game that organisms are trapped in
    Genetically adapting to environmental factors
    Then there’s no responsibility for individual actions!
    Where’s the governing dynamic?!?”
    Well, once again Darwin gives us some answers
    He says yes, everything from violence to violets to viruses
    Consists of organisms adapting to environments
    If you’re alive, it’s because your ancestors were the best survivalists

    They were the finalists in the genetic Olympic Games
    Every one of your ancestors lived to reproductive age
    And they were all better than their competitors at getting laid
    Otherwise, you wouldn’t be sitting here today
    There’s something inspirational in this vision of Darwin’s
    And it goes like this: organisms – like us – are not isolated
    Organisms are part of an environmental mix
    So your decisions affect evolution – it isn’t directionless
    Now, before you dismiss me as a mad environmentalist
    Just try to imagine how natural selection applies
    To countries that have industrialized
    Companies live and companies die
    And when customers buy based on a company’s green plan
    That affects the economy, just ask Alan Greenspan
    Cultural evolution is ours to reinvent
    Wait, can we affect current events? Yes We Can
    And when we choose who to sleep with and reproduce
    Our sexual choices affect the gene pool
    So it’s simple, all we need to do is refuse
    To sleep with mean people, and things will improve
    Especially women – on you the pressure is greater
    ‘Cause men will always do what it takes to get into your favour
    That’s just in our nature, so if selfish behaviour
    Was a sexual graveyard, the effects would be major!

    In each of these cases, our intentional efforts
    Can play the part of environmental pressures
    I can say: “This is a space where a peaceful existence
    Will never be threatened by needless aggression”
    I can say: “This is an ecosystem where people listen
    Where justice increases over egotism
    This is a space where religions achieve co-existence
    And racism decreases with each coalition”

    This is my vision of Darwinism, and how we all factor in
    Each of us is a part of the environment; we pass through it
    And change it, and affect the way that others adapt to it
    And after we get to look back and see how we impacted it
    And maybe have a laugh if our sense of humour is still alive
    And what did Charles Darwin do? Darwin threw some light
    On the origin of mankind, and he left us with skewered pride
    But he taught us that, yes, there’s grandeur in this view of life

    There is grandeur in this view of life, with its several powers having been originally breathed into a few forms or into one, and that, whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning, endless forms most beautiful, and most wonderful have been, and are being, evolved.”
    Charles Darwin, Origin of Species p. 491, Conclusion

     

    Check out Baba Brinkman’s website here: http://www.bababrinkman.com/

    and the rap guide to evolution here: http://rapguidetoevolution.com/

     

    Category: EvolutionScience and religion

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    Article by: Jonathan MS Pearce