Forces Working For the Growth of Humanity

Introduction

This is a sequel to my previous article that dove into the forces working against the growth of humanity. As defined in my previous article, the growth of humanity is the increase in number of humans. Since humanity, by definition, is the collection of all human beings, the only way for humanity to grow is for that collection to increase over time.

All of the forces discussed in this article share one primary characteristic: they all positively affect the ability of people to reproduce and start families within their reproductive years. Another common feature of the forces is their ability to catalyze the generation of new knowledge. This knowledge generation process is what has allowed humanity to grow in such great numbers over the past several thousand years.

In this article, I will personify many of the forces working for the growth of humanity. While personification is not the most scientific approach, it will aid in the creation of a more compelling and engaging exploration, as I confirmed in my previous article. Personification will also allow for a deep recognition of the ways in which the forces connect, work together, and compound the effects of each other.

Structure:

Digital Forces

The digital forces of the modern age are among the most powerful forces humanity has ever created or harnessed. We can now transmit information at a speed, distance, and bandwidth our ancestors could have never fathomed. Computers now do work for us — with the potential to be able to do uniquely creative, human tasks. With all of this compute, we’ve built digital networks of astonishing size and complexity that connect people across the globe.

The old saying from Spider-Man goes: “With great power comes great responsibility”. Humanity is now wielding the great power of digital technology where information travels near the speed of light. With this degree of leverage, it is possible to do both immense good, and immense harm to human life. In my previous article, I laid out the digital forces working against the growth of humanity. Now, I will shed light on the digital forces benefiting the growth of humanity.

Free-speech social media platforms support and uphold the sacred right to free speech which is embedded in the United States Constitution and Bill of Rights. These platforms engage in as little censorship as possible, often only censoring speech that violates the law. This creates a digital environment where anyone can express their ideas and opinions without fear of being silenced. In order to create these digital environments, the platforms do their best to build unbiased algorithms that promote ideas from all perspectives. These non-biased algorithms foster an ecosystem where people trust in the integrity of the platform. Another important component of free-speech social media platforms is that they are resistant to pressure from outside organizations or governments that attempt to stifle free speech. Many of these free-speech platforms are open source, so that people can verify the inter-workings of the algorithms, to ensure that they are fair. Free-speech platforms can perhaps best be described as the extension of freedom of speech from the physical world, into the digital world.

Human beings are turning more and more to digital platforms for the information they use to make decisions. Free-speech platforms give individuals access to a greater variety of information and ideas than censored ones. This helps people make better decisions, because they have access to information coming from many different sources and perspectives. An open battleground where all ideas can be expressed provides the public with a place to converge on the truth. These environments are the perfect catalyst for the generation of new knowledge, because knowledge creation, particularly through the scientific method, thrives on the free spread of information. The reasons for this are obvious. Oftentimes, new findings made using the scientific method contradict already established, consensus ideas. Free-speech platforms provide an environment where new findings can be presented, free from the threat of being silenced by establishment entities that are vested in upholding old, consensus ideas.

Free-speech social media platforms also help prevent minority groups from being silenced or scapegoated because they allow them to present their perspective. This mechanism is essential for preventing the ruthless genocidal and scapegoating behavior that we’ve seen all throughout human history. Even if a group is outgunned or militarily weak, they can still wield the weapon of online speech. This also applies to individuals, such as whistleblowers, that are under unjust attack from governments. For example, Edward Snowden, a whistleblower that is wanted by the United States government, is still allowed to voice his opinions and tell his story on free speech platforms. In addition, free-speech social media platforms are highly effective at exposing conspiracies perpetrated by people in power. They do this by allowing individuals with relatively no political or monetary power to spread information to millions. Every person in power is subject to the criticism and close observation from the millions of people on free-speech social media platforms. This makes sinister conspiracies much more difficult to carry out without being discovered by the public.

Free-speech social media platforms also help ensure that central authorities do not infringe on the rights of the people. One of the reasons why it took humanity so long to generate the idea of freedom of speech was because central authorities had a monopoly on the flow of it. It was not in their interest for freedom of speech to emerge, so they used all of their power to prevent it from happening. Now that the principle of freedom of speech has been generated and there are platforms that serve to uphold it, it is increasingly unlikely that any central authority will be able to reabsorb control over speech. Given that free-speech platforms help bolster the generation of human knowledge and the convergence on truth, they are most certainly a force working for the growth of humanity.

Podcasting

Podcasting one of the most popular digital mediums for distributing audio content over the internet. In many ways it can be considered the next evolution of radio — a digital version. It is one of the most influential and rapidly growing digital forces in the modern world. As of 2024, the global podcast audience is estimated to surpass 750 million listeners, showing a steady growth as more people worldwide adopt the medium. Podcasting is now a prominent force in the shaping of discourse worldwide, especially in the United States. It facilitates the spread of ideas between hundreds of millions of people.

Ideas discussed during podcast episodes are consumed directly by listeners and incorporated into their daily lives. Full podcast episodes are shared on social media platforms like X and short clips are taken from podcasts that circulate across all of the social media platforms. Many individuals rely on podcasting as an essential outlet in their lives for both education and entertainment. Many people follow certain podcasts religiously, taking in the ideas of their favorite podcast hosts and guests. Within the podcasting space, individuals from all walks of life and professions get together for deep conversations ranging from mundane discussions on topics like sports to deep discussions about science and philosophy.

Many individuals that have been censored or de-platformed on the main social media platforms have pivoted to podcasting as a way to continue reaching their audience. This is because for the time being, the podcasting space is much more resistant to censorship than other digital mediums. Podcasts like The Joe Rogan Experience have shed light on the mainstream media’s tendency to push biased narratives and censor important voices in the public space. Joe Rogan has hosted many controversial figures that have been banned from all of the big social media platforms like Alex Jones.

Podcasting has also provided millions with access to the thinking of some of the most brilliant scientists, engineers, businessman, writers, politicians, and other great minds of the modern age. Podcasting is a truly revolutionary development in the spread of digital information. Conversations between human beings have been an essential component of humanity since we developed the ability to speak to each other. They are a beautiful dance between two minds connected in attention: discussing ideas, imaginations, events, and stories. The ability of podcasting to capture this beautiful dance and broadcast it to millions of people is very powerful. Podcasting is continuing to pull attention away from old forms of media such as television, broadcasting, and radio. The most influential individuals in the world, from presidents of the most powerful nations, to the richest and most influential business leaders, are now appearing on podcasts. They are appearing on them because they realize how effective they are for spreading ideas and shaping public opinion.

Podcasting is a force working for the growth of humanity for several reasons. The first is that podcasting serves as an open space for the discussion of ideas. It is a medium through which individuals can express their thoughts and ideas directly to the public through speech. It is significantly less censored and scripted than more traditional forms of media like talk shows and radio. It is also significantly less centralized. The podcasting space is abundant with individuals from all different walks of life and places around the world discussing their thoughts and opinions. This makes podcasting a better medium for circling and eventually reaching truth. As Joe Rogan, the most famous podcast host alive has explained: podcasting is a more natural form of human interaction than many of the other forms of media. This allows ideas to take a more natural journey through the podcasting space, as they are discussed amongst podcast hosts and guests through one-on-one conversations. Since podcasting is a digital force for truth and free-speech, it is certainly beneficial force for the growth of humanity.

Pro-Privacy Platforms

Pro-privacy platforms are digital services, applications, or ecosystems designed with a strong emphasis on protecting users’ personal information and safeguarding their privacy. They collect only the data essential for the platform’s functionality and utilize strong encryption protocols to ensure that data remains unreadable to unauthorized parties. They provide clear consent mechanisms, by allowing users to access, modify, or delete their data, and by offering granular privacy settings. Some even utilize decentralized technologies like blockchain to enhance data sovereignty and reduce reliance on centralized servers.

In a world filled with the collection and centralized aggregation of digital information, pro-privacy platforms serve as a safe-haven where people can operate without sacrificing their personal information and data. They are platforms largely free from the dangers that come from having a central entity collecting all user data. These dangers have made themselves evident over the past couple decades as central powers have engaged in mass censorship and the exploitation of user data. The battle for privacy in the digital age has been intense. Centralized software companies have created ways to collect user data at every step of the digital experience. These seamless ways of collecting user data have lead to the success of many of the most prominent technology companies and software companies in the world.

Many of these large data driven companies have worked hand in hand with governments to influence the public, both legally and illegally. Now that the public is aware of these abuses of data, there is a great demand for platforms that ensure data privacy. Many of these privacy focused platforms have amassed immense popularity. Telegram, a privacy focused messaging app, has over 950 million monthly active users worldwide, as of late 2024. Many of these pro-privacy platforms are also open source, allowing anyone to view the code that dictates platform functionality, offering full transparency regarding their privacy measures.

These pro-privacy platforms are beneficial for the growth of humanity, because they prevent central powers from manipulating and controlling people by collecting their data. User data has become one of the most valuable resources in the modern world. Platforms that protect user data and empower users are a force for freedom and individual rights. They serve as a counter-balance to the closed-source, minimal privacy, tech conglomerates like Google and Microsoft. They help prevent government overreach and censorship by making it difficult for any centralized entity to obtain sensitive user data. They prevent in the West, what has happened in the East in places like China, where the government engages in the mass collection of its citizens data. Pro-privacy platforms help fend off the forces of tyranny, leading to a more free user experience. For all of these reasons, pro-privacy platforms are a force working for the growth of humanity.

Blockchain Technology

Blockchain technology is a decentralized digital ledger system that records data in a secure, transparent, and tamper-resistant manner. Blockchains allow multiple parties to share and access data without relying on a central authority, such as a bank or government. The technology is one of the most revolutionary digital creations in the modern era. We are just beginning to see the massive implications that this technology will have on the structure of the digital space and in turn, society.

Digital currencies that run on blockchain technology have seen exponential growth over the past two decades. Bitcoin, the first and most popular cryptocurrency built on blockchain technology, has reached a market cap of nearly two trillion dollars. At the time of writing this article in late 2024, a single Bitcoin is worth one hundred thousand dollars. Each year, more and more global wealth pours into Bitcoin and other blockchain technologies. An entire ecosystem around blockchain technology is experiencing rapid growth, with new projects popping up nearly every day.

The potential applications for blockchain technology are great, expanding far beyond just currency applications like Bitcoin. Blockchain technology can be used to create all sorts of decentralized systems and structures. The key word here is decentralized. Blockchain technology is a new way to create digital networks that group individuals together without the need for a centralized authority. This is a revolutionary alternative to the centralized corporations that have dominated the internet over the past two decades. Beyond just the digital world, it is a revolutionary way of organizing people, opposed to most of human history when central powers ruled countries, states, and nations.

Blockchain technology is beneficial for the growth of humanity in many ways. It allows people to build digital decentralized digital systems akin to the democratic systems that humans have developed over the past several thousand years. The existence of decentralized systems of governance is essential for mankind, because central authorities have a track record of tyranny — tyranny that has lead to the unfair deaths of many millions of people. Centralized authorities are also notorious for stifling economic growth and the generation of new human knowledge.

Security is another essential component of blockchain technology. Once transactions or contracts are recorded on the blockchain, they cannot be altered or deleted, preventing fraud and the destruction of important information. Advanced blockchain platforms offer features like encryption, protecting user data from unauthorized parties. Transparency is another groundbreaking feature of blockchain technology. For most blockchain technologies, all transactions and contracts are recorded on the ledger which anyone can view. Increased transparency builds trust among the members of a blockchain system. Blockchain is also very efficient when designed correctly, because it removes middlemen that have been historically needed for transactions and the execution of contracts. By eliminating the need for middlemen, blockchain speeds up transactions and lowers costs.

Blockchain enhances accessibility because anyone with internet access can participate. This facilitates international transactions without the complexities of currency conversions or cross-border regulations. For all of these reasons and many more, blockchain technology is a force working for the growth of humanity. The technology empowers all individuals in the digital age. It is a force for decentralization, efficiency, transparency, individual ownership, and accessibility. The technology fosters innovation and brings more freedom to the digital landscape. All of these benefits are known to improve living standards and supply individuals with the tools they need to start families and raise children, free from the oppression of centralized authorities.

Truth-Seeking Artificial Intelligence

There has been an explosion of artificial intelligence in the twenty-first century. Technologies like ChatGPT have completely reshaped the way we think about what is possible with digital intelligence. Immense amounts of compute around the globe are now being dedicated to the development of more and more advanced AI models. Many individuals are calling for more focus on the safety of its development. Elon Musk, one of the most prominent figures of our time, has many times discussed the importance of creating truth-seeking artificial intelligence.

Several large language models that have been developed have observably produced false images and concerning responses to questions due to biased programming. As artificial intelligence becomes more and more powerful, and more and more people rely on it for information, the importance of it being truth-seeking increases. The worst-case scenario would be an ultra powerful artificial intelligence that deceives and produces false information. Elon Musk and his team at xAI are developing artificial intelligence with the goal of making it maximally truth-seeking. This has long been the primary goal of the greatest human endeavors, from science, to religion, to philosophy. All of these areas of human striving have been approached with the same question, what is the true nature of our existence?

It is easy to argue that the best things humanity has ever done, it has done in the pursuit of truth. This type of attitude and striving is what we want to instill in the artificial intelligence that we create. One day, artificial intelligence may be able to match all of humanity in its thinking and reasoning abilities. Any truth-seeking artificial intelligence will most likely be a force working for the growth of humanity. It will be a force that helps us discover new truths about the universe and our place in it. For all of those reasons, truth-seeking artificial intelligence is a force working for the growth of humanity.

Cultural and Religious Forces

Cultural and religious forces have long been some of the most powerful forces shaping the direction of humanity. They shape human thinking and interaction at every scale, from the individual level to the societal level. These forces have a life of their own, evolving across time, and shaping the thinking of entire civilizations.

In this section, we will explore the cultural and religious forces that detriment the growth of humanity by instilling ideas that run counter its growth.

Abrahamic Religions

The three Abrahamic religions are Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. These religions arose over the past couple thousand years of human history. They are called the Abrahamic religions, because they all have a shared figure in their teachings, Abraham. Since the development of these religions, they have spread across the entire globe. Christianity has the largest number of adherents worldwide, roughly 2.2 billion as of late 2024. Islam has the second most, roughly 1.6 billion. Judaism is one of the smaller world religions, coming in at around 14 million people. However, Judaism has still had a significant cultural, historical, and theological influence, especially in shaping the foundations of Christianity and Islam. The impact that these three Abrahamic religions have had on the growth of humanity cannot be understated. The doctrines, beliefs, and ideas they spread were massive drivers of the monumental growth of humanity and continue to be to in the modern world. Let’s explore the ideas that these Abrahamic Religions all share in common.

Each Abrahamic religion believes in one God, the creator of the universe, who is all-powerful, all-knowing, and eternal. This is the foundational belief of all three religions, with each believing that God has revealed his will to humanity through prophets and scriptures. These scriptures share common ethical teachings centered on justice, compassion, honesty, charity, and the dignity of human life. In addition to these teachings, all three religions believe in some form of afterlife, where individuals are judged by God based on their faith and actions during their lifetime. The idea is that if you do not following the principles laid out in the scriptures by God, you will face a form of punishment.

The covenant between God and His people is central to all three religions. This covenant is an agreement in which God promises to guide and protect his people, and in return, they are expected to follow his commandments and laws. All three religions place great importance on worship and prayer as central practices to develop a relationship with God and to express faith. Since the three religions are a complex way of living life, tight-knit communities form around them. Followers are encouraged to support one another in faith and adhere to a shared set of beliefs and rituals that further strengthen the community. All three religions emphasize the sanctity of human life, teaching that life is a sacred gift from God and must be treated with dignity and respect. As a result, acts like murder, theft, and deceit are universally condemned.

The ideas that are shared by the three Abrahamic religions support the growth of humanity for several reasons, perhaps the most prominent reason being that all three Abrahamic religions share the belief that life is sacred. They promote the protection and expansion of human life. They bring people together through shared beliefs and rituals, helping create a sense of community and shared purpose. This community and shared purpose has always been essential for the growth of humanity. All three religions also believe in some form of afterlife and believe that followers are judged by God based on their behavior. These beliefs lead people to regulate their behavior in ways that prioritizes long-term thinking. Oftentimes, followers of the religions will forgo gratification in the present, in order to serve greater principles, like the principle that life is sacred. Charity and compassion are a major part of each religion, leading people to help others in times of need, preventing unnecessary death and suffering. All three religions are largely anti-abortion, stemming from the belief that life is sacred. Since all three of the Abrahamic religions promote strong communities, high virtues, and the belief that life is sacred, they are certainly a force working for the growth of humanity.

Enlightenment Thinking

Enlightenment thinking, which emerged in the 17th and 18th century, emphasizes reason, science, individualism, and skepticism of authority and tradition. It has laid the groundwork for many of the core values upon which the modern western world is built. Thinkers like John Locke, Immanuel Kant, Voltaire, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau were among the most prominent thinkers that drove enlightenment thinking. Let’s explore some of the central values and ideas that define enlightenment thinking.

Enlightenment thinkers emphasized the power of reason as the primary source of authority and knowledge. They believed that human beings could solve problems and understand the world through rational thought and scientific inquiry. Enlightenment thinkers placed great value on empiricism, the idea that knowledge comes from sensory experience and observation. This principle helped drive the development of the scientific method, which relies on observation, experimentation, and logical reasoning. The early Enlightenment era was marked by a deep skepticism toward established authorities, especially the monarchy and the Church.

The early thinkers questioned traditional sources of power, including the divine right of kings and the absolute authority of religious institutions. Central to Enlightenment thought was the belief in the importance of the individual and personal autonomy. Enlightenment thinkers argued that people should have the freedom to think for themselves, make their own decisions, and pursue their own happiness. They often argued for political liberty, advocating for systems that respected the rights of individuals and limited the power of rulers. Locke’s concept of natural rights (life, liberty, property) was foundational in this regard. Enlightenment thinkers were optimistic about the potential for progress in human society. They believed that through the application of reason, education, and science, humanity could improve itself and achieve greater freedom, knowledge, and happiness. They argued that governments derive their legitimacy from the consent of the governed, rather than from divine right or tradition. Enlightenment thinkers also advocated for widespread education as a way to cultivate reason and promote personal and societal development. They believed that ignorance and superstition could be overcome through the dissemination of knowledge and critical thinking.

Enlightenment philosophers like Voltaire and Locke argued for religious tolerance, believing that individuals should be free to practice any or no religion without interference or coercion from the state. Especially in the later part of the movement, they began advocating for democratic forms of government. The need for governments to be responsive to the will of the people and to protect their rights was emphasized, advocating for republicanism over absolute monarchy. Economic liberalism, as expressed by Adam Smith in his work The Wealth of Nations (1776), also came out of the Enlightenment era. Smith argued for the benefits of free markets, limited government intervention in the economy, and the idea of the “invisible hand” that guides market efficiency.

In the very phrase enlightenment thinking, is the word thinking. This is because enlightenment thinkers presupposed that human beings are capable of coming to rational conclusions when thinking through problems. This was a revolutionary framework, because for much of human history, people believed that they were simply at the will of higher powers. They didn’t necessarily believe that humans could think their way through complex moral dilemmas and problems. Enlightenment thinkers argued that human beings, through rational thought and reasoning, can improve their circumstances. This idea laid the foundations for the entire scientific enterprise which has allowed for the massive growth of humanity and human knowledge over the past couple hundred years. Enlightenment thinking also motivated people to challenge traditional authorities and sources of power. This questioning paved the way for the creation of modern democracies and systems of decentralized power. These democratic political systems have massively increased the growth of humanity by making the government more beholden to citizens.

Enlightenment ideas eventually lead to the stunning widespread access to information and knowledge that we have in the western world today. The level of knowledge that lower class individuals have access to is completely unprecedented, given the long history of censorship and authoritarianism in human society. Enlightenment thinkers argued for religious tolerance which has lead to the creation of a free market for religion in the western world, especially the United States. In this “free market for religion”, religions compete with each other for prominence. I would argue that this has been a positive force for the growth of humanity as individuals are not forced into practicing religions that are detrimental to their wellbeing. They are free to pick the religion that best fits their needs. The economic liberalism that came out of enlightenment thinking laid the groundwork for modern capitalistic economies. These capitalistic markets have lead to economic efficiency and widespread prosperity unlike any other systems have ever produced. They lead to rapid knowledge creation and innovation, ultimately leading to the rapid growth of humanity. For all of these reasons, enlightenment thinking is a force working for the growth of humanity.

Meritocracy

Meritocracy is a social system or organization where individuals are advanced and rewarded based on their abilities, talents, efforts, and achievements rather than factors like social class, wealth, or family connections. The term combines “merit,” meaning excellence or worth, and “cracy,” denoting a form of governance or rule.

In ancient Greece and Athens, philosophers like Socrates and Plato discussed the idea of rule by the most capable. In Plato’s work “The Republic,” he proposed a ruling class of philosopher-kings chosen for their wisdom and ability. In the 17th and 18th century, the Enlightenment emphasized reason, education, and individual potential, laying the groundwork for modern concepts of merit. Democratic societies reinforce meritocracy within the government, because individuals are elected based on the citizens’ perception of their merit and ability to do the job.

Capitalism reinforces meritocracy within the private sector, because individuals and organizations are subject to fierce competition and resource restraints. In order to excel in such a competitive environment, organizations are often forced to select the most qualified individuals for the job. Even in various parts of the government in the United States, such as the military, there is often a strict adherence to a meritocratic ideal, where the most capable and accomplished individuals are promoted to high ranking positions.

We largely take meritocracy for granted today in the western world, but societies with meritocratic ideas embedded into them have not been the norm throughout human history. Alternative structures such as nepotism, cronyism, aristocracy, oligarchy, plutocracy, feudalism, kleptocracy, and the caste system have been commonplace all throughout human history and are still commonplace in many parts of the world today. These systems do not advance individuals primarily based on their abilities, talents, efforts, and achievements but rather select them based on their family ties, friends, associates, political connections, and overall level of wealth. These are the exact systems of organization that the founding fathers wanted to avoid when they wrote the Constitution of the United States. They wanted to avoid the aristocratic system that was in place in England. The United States was designed to be a meritocratic society and through that design it became the world superpower. America then exported its meritocratic system to many places around the world.

Meritocracy is arguably the best system that humanity has ever developed for the advancement of individuals within society. It has lead to some of the best economic and social outcomes that we’ve ever seen in human history. It provides individuals with more social mobility and individual freedom than any other form of organization. It is highly compatible with republics, democracies, and capitalistic societies and rewards individuals for their hard work, dedication, and ability to solve problems. These rewards lead do a more productive and prosperous society where individuals have wide access to the resources they need to raise and support families. Meritocracy is without a doubt one of the most potent forces working for the growth of humanity.

Equality

Equality is a fundamental concept referring to the state of being equal in status, rights, and opportunities. It embodies the idea that all individuals are of the same inherent worth and deserve the same level of respect, consideration, and access to resources and opportunities, regardless of their personal characteristics or circumstances. The idea of equality is built into the declaration of independence of the United States when it says “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal”.

A government built on the principal of equality was a revolutionary idea when the United States was formed. Since that formation, the entire western world has followed and become more focused on equality. This focus on equality has not been common throughout most of human history. In ancient societies, equality was often completely absent from legal and social structures. For example, ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia had hierarchical systems where pharaohs and kings wielded absolute power, and slavery was commonplace. Early philosophers were some of the first thinkers that began to touch on egalitarian ideas. Thinkers like Plato and Aristotle discussed forms of equality, but their concepts were limited to free male citizens, excluding women, slaves, and foreigners.

The Athenian democracy introduced one of the earliest forms of political equality among citizens, albeit a small fraction of the population. Later in human history, the Christian doctrine introduced the notion that all souls are equal before God. While this spiritual equality did not immediately translate into social or legal equality, it laid a moral foundation that would influence future egalitarian movements. Similarly, Islam preached the equality of all believers before God, emphasizing justice and fairness within the community of the faithful.

The 17th and 18th centuries marked a significant shift with enlightenment thinkers challenging traditional hierarchies. John Locke argued that all men are born equal with natural rights to life, liberty, and property. His ideas greatly influenced modern democracy. In the 19th century, the Civil War led to the Emancipation Proclamation and the 13th Amendment which abolished slavery in the United States. At the turn of the 20th century, countries like New Zealand and Finland were pioneers in granting women the right to vote. Later in the 20th century, The Civil Rights Movement in the United States fought against racial segregation and discrimination, leading to significant legislation like the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act. This further expanded egalitarian ideals in the United States and these ideals were exported to other western countries.

Equality is a force working for the growth of humanity, because it presupposes that all individuals have an intrinsic worth. It works to prevent unfair discrimination and oppression which has been commonplace in human history. It greatly complements republics, democracies, meritocracies, and capitalism; it’s an essential ingredient in the creation of an equal playing field where individuals are not burdened due to circumstances that are out of their control, like the color of their skin. It shifts the focus to areas that human beings can control, like integrity and capability. It is a force that helps all individuals prosper and in turn create families that prosper. For all of these reasons, it is a force working for the growth of humanity.

Natural Biological Forces

As humanity has become increasingly separated from the ancestral environment that we evolved in, we’ve forgotten about the powerful biological forces that have historically driven our growth. Oftentimes, these natural biological forces are disrupted or overshadowed by modern artificial creations.

In this section, we will explore the natural biological forces that humans have evolved with that drive our growth. These forces often appear humble compared to the powerful technologies that we’ve created, but if looked at closely, the immense power of nature is revealed.

Masculinity

Masculinity can be defined as the qualities or characteristics that are typically associated with men. It is a complex idea that encapsulates what it means to be a man. With the vast knowledge available in the modern world, it is easier than ever to generate a complex description of what masculinity is and what it represents, in fairly scientific terms. Male and female sexes are seen across many different species of life. In humans, males typically have one X chromosome and one Y chromosome (XY) for their pair of sex chromosomes. Males develop testes, which produce sperm and the male hormone testosterone. Testosterone is responsible for male characteristics such as facial hair, deepening of the voice, and muscle mass development. Since testosterone is the primary driver of masculine characteristics, its effects provide a lot of information for building a conception of masculinity.

Testosterone has many effects on the physicality of men, a key component of masculinity. It stimulates the growth of skeletal muscle and increases protein synthesis, leading to greater muscle mass and strength, especially during and after puberty. Testosterone promotes bone growth and density by stimulating bone mineralization and slowing down the loss of bone tissue. It’s responsible for the growth of facial hair, chest hair, and body hair (especially in the armpits and pubic areas) during puberty. Testosterone causes the larynx to grow and the vocal cords to lengthen and thicken, leading to a deeper voice in males. In addition, testosterone has many effects on the male reproductive system. It plays a key role in the production of sperm in the testes, which is essential for male fertility. It regulates sexual desire (libido) in both men and women. Higher levels of testosterone are often associated with increased sexual drive and activity.

Perhaps the most illuminating effects for understanding masculinity are the effects that testosterone has on the male brain. Testosterone is believed to enhance spatial cognition—the ability to perceive and mentally manipulate objects in space. Studies suggest that males generally perform better in tasks involving spatial reasoning, such as navigation and spatial memory, potentially due to higher levels of testosterone. It has also been linked to increased levels of dominance and aggression and an increase in risk-taking behaviors. The effects that testosterone has on the brain are some of the exact characteristics that we associate with masculinity. Masculinity is associated with strength (physicality), combativeness (ability to manipulate objects), competitiveness (aggression), and courage (a form of risk-taking). Testosterone drives the many manifestations of male behavior that we see in the world. Almost any masculine behavior can be directly or loosely correlated with the effects that testosterone has on the male body and brain.

Masculinity is a beneficial force for the growth of humanity for several reasons. One of the key components of masculinity is strength. Strong individuals have the ability to defend and protect. Historically, men have used this strength to defend their women and children from being harmed by outside forces. Men are biologically wired to engage in these protective actions which expand out to the willingness of men to defend their entire civilizations. This is why the vast majority of individuals that go to war are men. Another key component of masculinity, driven by testosterone, is risk-taking. Risk-taking involves taking physical risks as well as intellectual and social risks like speaking out against tyrannical forces. The individuals that spoke out against authority figures to introduce the idea of free speech were men.

Perhaps the characteristic of masculinity that can be most directly associated with the growth of humanity is libido and sex drive. Testosterone drives men to seek out sexual opportunities and to compete amongst each other for those opportunities. This seeking leads to the eventual birth of new human beings, directly driving the growth of humanity. These are just a few of the main characteristics of masculinity, but they are enough to show the essential benefits that masculinity has on the growth of humanity.

Femininity

Femininity can be defined as the qualities or characteristics that are associated with females. Females typically have two X chromosomes for their pair of sex chromosomes (XX) and develop ovaries which produce estrogen and progesterone, the main female sex hormones. These hormones regulate the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and the development of secondary sexual characteristics such as breast development and fat distribution. Estrogen has significant effects on the brain and the body and is the primary driver of feminine characteristics.

Estrogen stimulates the growth of breast tissue during puberty and helps prepare the breasts for lactation during pregnancy. It also promotes the accumulation of subcutaneous fat, leading to the characteristic curvier body shape in females. Fat is more likely to accumulate in the hips, thighs, and buttocks due to the influence of estrogen. It also plays a key role in regulating the menstrual cycle by promoting the growth of the uterine lining in preparation for possible pregnancy. Estrogen levels rise and fall throughout the cycle, peaking just before ovulation and dropping if fertilization does not occur. Estrogen is also involved in sexual desire and arousal. It’s associated with increased libido, especially during the ovulatory phase of the menstrual cycle when estrogen levels peak.

Estrogen has many effects on cognition and the structure of the brain. It has been shown to enhance verbal memory. This effect has been supported by studies showing that women often perform better on verbal tasks during phases of higher estrogen levels, such as the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle. Estrogen’s influence on areas like the hippocampus, which is crucial for memory formation, contributes to improved recall of words and verbal information. Higher estrogen levels, particularly during the mid-menstrual cycle, are associated with improved cognitive flexibility, allowing women to switch between tasks and adapt to changing demands more easily. Estrogen influences social behavior, particularly in terms bonding and empathy. It enhances social receptivity by increasing sensitivity to social cues, fostering a greater sense of empathy and compassion during interactions. Estrogen helps elevate mood by influencing the serotonin system, a key neurotransmitter involved in happiness and emotional well-being. Women tend to experience more positive moods, greater openness to social interaction, and increased receptivity to positive social stimuli during times of elevated estrogen.

Women are generally more sexually receptive during ovulation, a time when fertility is at its highest, and estrogen enhances sexual motivation and interest. Some studies suggest that estrogen may even influence partner preferences, with women exhibiting increased attraction to masculine traits during periods of high fertility. The effects that estrogen has on the brain and body are many of the same characteristics that we associate with femininity: beauty (estrogen-driven body formation), empathy and openness (estrogen-driven social behavior), and flexibility (estrogen-driven cognitive flexibility). Estrogen drives many of the manifestations of feminine behavior that we observe around us.

Part of the reason why both femininity and masculinity are such positive forces working for the growth of humanity is due to their complex interplay. They complement each other perfectly and work together to drive forward the growth of humanity. Estrogen enhances female sexual characteristics and receptivity to sexual interactions, leading to pregnancy and the birth of children. Estrogen drives many of the cognitive characteristics of females, making them more empathetic and receptive to social interactions. This helps foster the formation of tight knit communities of individuals and balances out the effects of testosterone on male aggression and anti-social behavior. Estrogen drives the cognitive flexibility that is essential for caregiving and raising children. If you’ve ever spent time with children, you understand how chaotic and volatile they can be. Women have a superpower for dealing with this unpredictable behavior which is gifted to them partially by estrogen. Since femininity helps drive the creation of new human beings and the behaviors that lead to them getting taken care of, it cannot be understated how beneficial of a force it is in working for the growth of humanity.

Natural Foods

Natural foods can be defined as minimally processed foods that align closely with the nutritional contexts that molded human physiology. They are the foods that our bodies are still best adapted to in terms of digestibility, nutrient extraction, and metabolic response. Humans evolved for millions of years in a symbiotic relationship with plants and animals. During these millions of years, humans consumed foods found in their natural environment and used very few processing techniques.

As humans continued to evolve, more food processing techniques were implemented. The agricultural revolution marked a drastic change in the food landscape of our ancestors. It led to a great implementation of grains into the human diet and allowed for more advanced food processing techniques such as bread-making. Then, the industrial revolution completely transformed the human food environment. Industrial processes allowed for large-scale food processing operations with the ability to distribute these processed foods across the entire globe. This shifted the human diet from from local, seasonal diets to year-round availability of certain staples. It drastically increased the amount of processed foods that are now part of the average human diet.

We now exist in a food environment with highly centralized food industries and global supply chains. The ability to create highly processed foods, automated by machines, is now widespread. Developments in science have even given us the ability to alter the chemistry of our food at an incredibly intricate level. We’ve created countless novel food substances and chemical compounds, some of them highly detrimental to health. Many of these food substances and compounds have been banned by government agencies tasked with protecting public health. However, there are still many processed foods and food substances on the market that are linked with serious health issues. As the public becomes more aware of the dangers of this modern food environment, there is a movement pushing for the return of more natural foods to the human diet.

Natural foods are a force working for the growth of humanity and always have been. They support all of the processes that are needed to be in good health. We evolved over millions of years utilizing minimally processed foods to support our growth, reproduction, and the raising of our children. We selected the most beneficial foods that were available in our environment and refined the hunting and gathering processes for acquiring these foods. Our biology is deeply molded by them. Straying too far away from these natural plant and animal products has led to a host of modern health problems. For all of these reasons, natural foods are a force working for the growth of humanity.

Native EMFs

Native Electromagnetic Fields (EMFs) refer to the natural electromagnetic fields present in our environment, originating from natural sources rather than human-made technology. These fields have existed throughout the history of humanity and play a crucial role in various natural processes. These natural EMFs are the Earth’s Geomagnetic Field, Schumann Resonances (caused by lightning), solar radiation (electromagnetic waves from the sun), atmospheric electricity, cosmic microwave background radiation, and biological electromagnetic fields (generated by the electrical activity within living organisms). Natural EMFs are crucial to proper biological function of organisms, including humans.

Studies have indicated that changes in magnetic fields can influence human brain waves. For example, alterations in the geomagnetic field have been correlated with variations in electroencephalogram (EEG) readings, suggesting a potential impact on neurological processes. Variations in geomagnetic activity have also been associated with changes in heart rate variability, indicating a possible effect on the autonomic nervous system. Schumann, which are global electromagnetic resonances excited by lightning discharges, may help synchronize biological clocks, affecting sleep patterns and hormonal cycles. Solar radiation (sunlight), provides Ultraviolet B (UVB) rays that enable the skin to produce vitamin D, essential for bone health, immune function, and anti-inflammatory responses. Natural light from the sun also influences the production of melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep-wake cycles. Natural phenomena like waterfalls, ocean waves, and lightning produce negative air ions, which some studies suggest may have beneficial effects on mood and stress reduction. Some new research even indicates that electromagnetic fields can influence cell division and differentiation during embryonic development.

Since humans evolved with constant exposure to native EMFs, they are essential for optimal biological processes. In the modern world, we are becoming more and more disconnected from natural EMFs and are receiving more and more exposure to non-native EMFs such as cellular technology and artificial lighting. This reality is having many negative effects on human health. Exposure to native EMFs provide our bodies with a familiar electromagnetic environment that ensures proper function of all of the bodies complex systems. For that reason, native EMFs are a force working for the growth of humanity. They support healthy biological function including reproductive function which leads to the birth of healthy children.

Faith and Belief

Faith is a complex word with many meanings. To better understand what the word actually represents, it’s necessary to explore its various definitions and triangulate the essence of its meaning. Faith, in the Oxford Dictionary, has several distinct definitions: the first being, trust in somebody’s ability or knowledge; trust that somebody/something will do what has been promised. The second being: strong religious belief. The third being: a particular religion.

Belief is another word that is intimately tied with the word faith. Belief is defined as, per the Oxford Dictionary, a strong feeling that something/somebody exists or is true; confidence that something/somebody is good or right. Both belief and faith in a higher power is an essential component of most religions. In order for someone to practice a religion, they must have a strong feeling that a higher power exists and that the higher power is good. Faith and belief are two concepts that have been under attack from the post-modernist thinkers and the movement towards science and away from religion.

Atheists often have an inherent dislike of the words faith and belief because they associate them with religion. They champion human rationality and the ability of humanity to thrive without the need for faith or belief. However, this is a silly dislike because they themselves are engaged in the practice of faith and belief. They are just placing their faith and belief in the scientific process and rationality. Religion is one of the many manifestations of the human propensity for belief, but it is not by any means the only one. If humans didn’t have the ability to believe, they would have no motivation to practice religion, the scientific method, or many of the other things that humans engage in.

At the root of science is the idea that there is a true physical nature to reality, one that can be uncovered through the scientific process. If nobody believed that there was a true nature to reality, a coherent nature, the human field of science would not exist. If Charles Darwin didn’t believe that his theory of evolution was true, backed by evidence of the true nature of reality, he certainly would not have had the will to work on his theory for twenty years without recognition. If humans didn’t have an innate belief in the goodness of human life, would we have the will to continue living?

From a cognitive standpoint, belief formation is considered a universal trait of the human brain. Humans are pattern-seeking creatures, and our brains naturally look for cause-and-effect relationships. This tendency leads to the formation of beliefs, including religious or metaphysical ones. Psychologists like Paul Bloom argue that humans are “natural-born dualists,” meaning that we naturally distinguish between the physical and the spiritual or abstract world. Many philosophers also argue that faith and belief are inherent to the human experience. Søren Kierkegaard, a philosopher who wrote extensively on faith, argued that faith is a fundamental part of being human, as it allows individuals to make leaps of trust in the absence of absolute knowledge.

This concept of absolute knowledge is important. As mortal creatures, none of us possess absolute knowledge. All of humanity collectively does not even possess absolute knowledge or anything close to it. This gap between our actual knowledge and absolute knowledge is the gap that gets filled by God. Humanity most often views God as all-knowing or possessing absolute knowledge. We rely on God to guide us through this blind spot. This is why when we have no idea what to do, we often turn to God or some conception of a higher power. This knowledge gap also explains why children appear to have more of a propensity for faith and belief in the spiritual or abstract world. Children have significantly less knowledge about the world than adults, therefore the gap between their knowledge and absolute knowledge is greater. They are naturally more prone to believe in metaphysical entities to fill this immense gap. Children often apply metaphysical and abstract qualities to the people around them. They view adults as far more knowledgeable than they actually are, especially their parents. It can easily be argued that the more vulnerable and less knowledgeable an individual is, the more likely they are to place their faith in an external entity, including an abstract one.

No human being can escape this brutal reality of being vulnerable. Everyone is susceptible to catastrophes of all kinds and every human is destined for death, regardless of the fact that some humans believe that they can outrun it. Therefore, every human being has the propensity to put their faith and belief in an external entity that promises them protection from the endless list of dangers that are inherent in the world. Nobody is too old or too knowledgeable for religion. Some of the most brilliant human minds that have ever existed were religious minds. To show how prominent the human propensity for faith and belief is, it is helpful to look at an activity that you wouldn’t immediately associate with those concepts.

Investing is one of those activities. Every individual investor engages in the act of faith when making an investment. They are betting on particular outcomes with extremely limited information. The gap between their extremely limited information, (considering how complex human markets are) and the absolute knowledge of the markets must be filled with the faith that the future will look close enough to what they are predicting. This is the inherent thought process that investors go through. If they didn’t fill the knowledge gap with faith, the process of investing would feel like like random dart throws at a sea of information. This is not to say that investors don’t try to gather as much information as possible and make decisions based on probabilities and rationality. It is just to say that no investor can completely eliminate the need for faith in the investment process. In fact, the entire act of investing requires a degree of faith in the value of money and the integrity of the markets. All of the this faith and belief underlies the entire human endeavor of investing. If you begin to look around at any human activity, you will find a serious of axiomatic beliefs that lie deep at its foundations. If humans didn’t have these axiomatic beliefs in place, we wouldn’t be able to operate in the complex world we exist in.

Faith and belief are two forces that massively benefit the growth of humanity. One of the most important decisions that humans engage in that requires faith and belief is the decision to have children. Believing that the future of humanity will be good is an essential ingredient for the decision to have children. Having faith that your relationship with the partner that you choose to have kids with is another key ingredient. Having the faith that a healthy child will be born is yet another one. Faith and belief in God have long played a major role in child rearing. People frequently refer to their children as blessings or gifts from God for a reason. Since faith and belief are such essential concepts for supporting child rearing and reproduction, for supporting the scientific process, and for supporting all other forms of beneficial human endeavor, they are most certainly a force working for the growth of humanity.

The Will to Everlasting Life

Another force working for the growth of humanity is the will contained within the human spirit. Many great philosophers have taken a crack at what the essence of this will might be. Friedrich Nietzsche, the great philosopher, proposed the idea of the “will to power”. He conceived of the will to power as an instinctual drive present in all living beings to assert, enhance, and expand their power and influence. For Nietzsche, the will to power was not merely about domination over others. It was also about self-overcoming and the striving to reach new heights of self-realization. Nietzsche saw the will to power as fundamental to life itself. He believed that everything in nature strives for more—more strength, more influence, more creative expression.

Nietzsche developed the will to power partly in opposition to concepts like Schopenhauer’s “will to live,” which emphasized a more passive survival instinct. Nietzsche saw the will to power as much more dynamic and fundamental to life, rejecting the notion that humans are motivated by simple survival or pleasure. Other thinkers expanded upon the ideas of Friedrich Nietzsche such as Carl Jung, the great Swiss psychiatrist and psychotherapist. Jung expanded the will to power to include the complexities of human psychology, focusing on how this drive for power interacts with unconscious desires, fears, and archetypes. Jung painted a picture of a more fragmented psychological landscape with different forces competing amongst each other. For Jung, an individual strives not merely for external control or dominance but for internal mastery over their own psychological processes.

Evolutionary biology is another very interesting lens to view the idea of the will to power through. In Richard Dawkins’ The Selfish Gene (1976), the fundamental drive for gene-based lifeforms is the replication and survival of the genes themselves. Dawkins shifted the focus of evolutionary theory from the level of individual organisms or species to the gene as the central unit of selection. According to Dawkins, genes “selfishly” work to maximize their own chances of being passed on to future generations, shaping the behavior and biology of organisms in ways that promote this goal. This supports both “the will to power” as Nietzsche described it and Carl Jung’s theory of a more fragmented internal landscape. It supports both of these ideas because genes look to lodge themselves into the future, manifesting in behaviors that can be described as “the will to power”. Genes also compete amongst each other within a biological life form, leading to a fragmented psychological landscape with many competing drives. This is exactly what we see in human behavior. Individuals engage in a struggle to organize their internal states as well as the external state of their environment.

Neuroscience is another rapidly growing field that helps us better understand these ideas. Neuroscientists have mapped out many of the functions of different brain regions and the ways in which they interact with each other. They know that different brain regions have synergistic and sometime antagonistic relationships with each other. They know that brain regions can be rewired, strengthened from use, and weakened through disuse. They know that an individual, at the conscious level, has the ability to rewire their brain through mere thought. This supports Jung’s idea that the individual has the ability to better integrate and rearrange their inner world. Neuroscientists also know that individuals have brain regions responsible for biologically evolved drives that lead to behaviors that Nietzsche may have categorized as part of the will to power. These drives include but are not limited to food acquisition, reproductive success, and improvement of social status.

Sigmund Freud, the famous psychoanalyst, was also very interested in the ways that the different parts of the psyche interact with each other. He developed the idea of the id, the ego, and the superego. In this idea, the id was the more primordial needs of human beings such as the need for food and sex. The superego was the part of the psyche tasked with obeying a moral code, the code that is installed by the culture that the individuals exists within, and the ego was the part of the psyche responsible for mediating between the id and the superego. This can be considered the conscious part of the psyche.

This triune conception is now well supported by our modern understanding of the human brain. In neuroscience, they divide the brain into three distinct regions according to what is called the triune brain theory. The three regions described in this theory are the reptilian brain, the limbic system, and the neocortex. The reptilian brain can be thought of as the id, the part of the brain that is responsible for autonomous actions and ancient drivers such as sex. This part of the brain is the most unconscious part of the brain. The ego can be thought of as the limbic system and its interaction with the neocortex. We are conscious of both emotions and higher level aspects of thinking. The superego can be thought of as the most high level parts of the neocortex that contain and enforce higher level moral codes and often have a very tense relationships with the reptilian brain as it tries to fulfill our most ancient drives regardless of societal moral codes.

Based on these conceptions, the will to power can be reframed as the will to maximally integrate and organize our internal landscape in order to exert maximal force on our external environment. I would argue that the primary driver of all human life is the will to everlasting life. This will to everlasting life can be considered the will to maximally integrate and organize our internal landscape and external landscape in order to achieve everlasting life. Everlasting life can be conceptualized as heaven, nirvana, the lodging of our genes infinitely into the future, or the achievement of immortality. I believe this is why all of humanity strives towards the complete explanation of everything, both internal and external. This is why humanity strives towards absolute knowledge and engages in a never ending cycle of technological creation and knowledge generation. We live life in the pursuit of everlasting life, whether we are consciously aware of it or not. The will to everlasting life naturally leads to the growth of humanity since one part of this will is to perpetuate ones genes as far into the future as possible.

Economic and Political Forces

Economic and political forces are a major component of human civilization. They impact all of the major processes that affect the growth of humanity, from the health of individuals, to the strength of communities. There are good economic and political forces and there are bad ones, from the perspective of birth rate.

We will explore the economic and political forces that drive the growth of humanity by helping provide people with the economic resources they need to start families and prosper.

Cryptocurrency

Cryptocurrency is a type of digital or virtual currency that uses cryptography for security. It is decentralized and typically operates on blockchain technology, which we discussed earlier. A blockchain is a distributed ledger that records all transactions across a peer-to-peer network of computers. The decentralized nature of cryptocurrencies means they are not controlled by any central authority, such as a government or financial institution, making them resistant to censorship or manipulation. Cryptocurrency is a revolutionary breakthrough in human currency. It leverages all of the digital technologies of the modern world to create a tamperproof network, devoid of financial middlemen like bankers. The main benefits of cryptocurrency on the growth of humanity are due to its decentralized nature.

Cryptocurrency is decentralized, because all of the transactions completed with a cryptocurrency are recorded on a digital ledger that can be accessed by anyone with a computer and an internet connection. Every transaction is easily verifiable and transparent. This prevents bad actors from manipulating the ledger and corrupting the currency. Also due to this distributed ledger, cryptocurrency prevents centralized entities from taking control of the currency. Most cryptocurrencies are designed in a way that would make it extremely difficult for any centralized entity to take control of the network. Even if they were somehow able to, people would be able to easily identify their outsized control on the network and take action against them. Centralized control of currency has been a major problem all throughout human history. It is a problem, because entities that have outsized control on a currency tend to manipulate it by doing things like increasing the supply of the currency in circulation.

To this day, governments around the world engage in the mass manipulation of currency. When a small group of individuals in the government make the decision to manipulate a currency that effects millions, hundreds of millions, or even billions of people, there are often very detrimental consequences for the growth of humanity. Inflation is one of the primary negative results of a centralized entity manipulating a currency. Inflation lowers the spending power of individuals that hold the currency by inflating the prices of goods and services. This not only lowers the purchasing power of individuals but also lowers the value of their work because individuals most often get paid for their work in centralized currency.

Conversely, cryptocurrency offers a decentralized system in which no central entity can artificially increase the supply. Many of the most prominent cryptocurrencies have a cap for the maximum amount of currency that can be introduced into circulation. After this cap is reached, nobody can increase the supply of the currency. This solves the age-old problem of centralized entities manipulating currency and devaluing individuals. It offers a future where individuals can put far more trust in the currency system that they are a part of: a future where the transactions are easily verifiable and the currency does not suffer from centralized entity induced inflation.

Cryptocurrency is good for the growth of humanity, because it does not suffer from centralized control. This gives individuals the best possible ability to put their time and energy into a currency that better holds its value into the future. It empowers individuals to be able to afford the resources necessary for starting a family and raising children. It empowers them to engage in longer term thinking because they don’t have to worry about keeping up with the devaluation of their money and time. For all of these reasons, cryptocurrency is an economic force working for the growth of humanity.

Freedom of Speech

Freedom of speech is one of the most powerful ideas that humanity has ever generated. We largely take it for granted now that it exists and has spread throughout the western world, but it cannot be understated how revolutionary of an idea it was when it was created. Throughout much of human history, ruling powers—whether monarchies, religious authorities, or totalitarian regimes—have sought to limit free expression in order to maintain control and avoid challenges to their authority. Freedom of speech challenged this by asserting that no individual or institution has the right to suppress dissent or control the flow of speech. For most of early human civilization, humanity operated under the pretext of “might makes right”. The individuals that were in power would squash dissent and any speech that challenged their authority. Many of the individuals in power believed that they had a divine right to do so because God gave them power. It wasn’t until certain individuals began to generate the seed ideas of freedom of speech that this right to silence people came into question.

The initial free speech thinkers took a great risk to their own well-being when attempting to spread these ideas. Imagine you are a monarch that has been ruling for decades, silencing people to maintain control, and then all of the sudden some thinker starts spewing ideas about free speech. What would you do to that person? Again, this is why the creation of the idea is so remarkable. It was created under the tyranny of rulers that dealt with dissent in any way they saw fit. Imagine you live in a society that is ruthlessly ruled by a central authority and you have never even heard the words freedom of speech stitched together. You have no awareness of the concept that people should be allowed to say whatever they want to say, even if it challenges authority figures. The chances of you coming up with idea are abysmal. For that reason, the creation of the concept of freedom of speech was quite remarkable.

The roots of the widespread adoption of freedom of speech as an ideal can be traced back to ancient Greece and ancient Rome. In Athens, the concept of “parrhesia” emerged, referring to the right to speak freely and frankly. Citizens in Athenian democracy were allowed to participate in open debates, especially in the agora (public marketplace) and Ecclesia (the Athenian assembly). Philosophers such as Socrates and Plato debated the nature and limits of free speech, although Socrates was famously sentenced to death for allegedly corrupting the youth and disrespecting the gods.

In the Roman Republic, freedom of speech was a recognized part of public life, especially for the senators and orators like Cicero, who defended the idea that speech should be free, particularly in matters of governance. However, this freedom had limits, particularly during times of imperial rule, when emperors restricted dissent. Nonetheless, these ancient societies set the foundations for freedom of speech and introduced the widespread adoption of the idea. Then, during the medieval period, it is generally thought that humanity went through a period of great suppression of speech. There were some breakthroughs that lead to further developments in freedom of speech but nothing as noteworthy as the developments during the enlightenment period.

The Enlightenment (17th-18th Centuries) marked a significant turning point in the development of freedom of speech. Thinkers like John Locke, Voltaire, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and Baron de Montesquieu advocated for civil liberties, including freedom of speech. John Locke argued that people are born with inalienable rights, including the right to express their views freely, as part of his philosophy of natural rights. Voltaire is famously attributed with the sentiment, “I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it”. He was a staunch defender of free speech and criticized censorship and oppression. The early modern developments of freedom of speech in England and the United States were the culmination of centuries of seeds of freedom of speech being planted. In 1689, the English Bill of Rights was passed, which included protections for parliamentary speech. This granted members of Parliament the freedom to speak openly during debates without fear of prosecution for their statements outside of Parliament (known as parliamentary privilege). Perhaps the greatest victory for freedom of speech in all of human history occurred in the United States with the ratification of the first amendment in 1791.

The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution guaranteed freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and freedom of assembly. This was a direct result of enlightenment thinking and the founding fathers’ desire to protect against government tyranny and ensure that citizens had the right to criticize the government and express their views freely. This was a monumental breakthrough in human history. It was the first time in all of human history that freedom of speech was explicitly protected as a God given right in the constitutional document of a country.

Freedom of speech is essential for the growth of humanity. It facilitates the free spread of ideas and the convergence on the truth. Processes like the scientific method massively benefit from it, because freedom of speech allows for the exploration of different ideas and hypothesis. It often takes many individuals openly discussing ideas for their to be major breakthroughs in scientific field. Since freedom of speech massively aids in the scientific method and the creation of knowledge, it is a force that propels the growth of humanity. Scientific discovery and the creation of new knowledge improves livings standards for all individuals, providing them with better opportunities for starting families, supporting children, and fueling the growth of humanity. Freedom of speech also serves as perhaps the most important defense against tyranny and centralized control. It empowers dissidents, allowing for the spread of revolutionary ideas, and enables movements to challenge the legitimacy of oppressive and murderous governments.

Freedom of speech ensures that the will of the people is heard and that the government cannot crush the will of the people through censorship. Through the application of this defense against tyranny, countries like the United States have become the most prosperous countries in all of human history. When the will of the people is heard, leadership is forced to make decisions that improve the lives of the masses, leading to better conditions for all. This leads to more opportunities for everyone to start families and prosper. In addition, it prevents central authorities for misusing their power and making decisions that greatly detriment the growth of humanity. For all of these reasons, freedom of speech is a potent force working for the growth of humanity.

Capitalism

Capitalism is an economic system characterized by private ownership of the means of production, the creation of goods or services for profit, competitive markets, and the determination of prices, production, and the distribution of goods through the forces of supply and demand. Ownership rights incentivize individuals to invest, innovate, and manage resources efficiently, as they can directly benefit from their investments and efforts. Free markets promote competition, which can lead to lower prices, improved quality of goods and services, and innovation as businesses strive to attract consumers. The pursuit of profit drives efficiency, resource allocation, and innovation. Businesses seek to minimize costs and maximize revenues, fostering economic growth.

Competition encourages businesses to improve their products and services, adopt new technologies, and operate more efficiently to gain an edge over rivals. Minimal regulation allows businesses greater freedom to operate, but governments may still intervene to correct market failures, provide public goods, and ensure fair competition. Individuals and businesses accumulate capital (financial assets, investments, machinery) to increase production and profitability. Capital accumulation fosters economic growth, technological advancement, and improved living standards over time.

Capitalism is an economic system that has evolved over a long period of human history. Early forms of trade, markets, and monetary systems existed in civilizations like Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece, and Rome. Then, in Medieval Europe, the feudal system dominated, characterized by land ownership by nobility and serfs working the land. Between the 11th and 18th century, trade increased and merchants began to challenge the traditional feudal order. Between the 16th and 18th century, early capitalism began to take form. Companies were created, allowing for the pooling of capital and risk-sharing. Then came the industrial revolution in the 18th and 19th centuries. Centralized production in factories replaced the cottage industry model, leading to mass production and increased efficiency.

Rapid advancements in technology, transportation, and communication facilitated economic growth and expanded markets. Adam Smith, often regarded as the “father of capitalism”, released his seminal work, “The Wealth of Nations” (1776), advocating for free markets, division of labor, and the “invisible hand” that guides economic efficiency. The way capitalism manifests itself in the real world has since evolved into it’s most modern forms in countries like the United States, taking a mixed form with heavy government involvement in things like social programs. However, the United States economy largely operates as a capitalist system where individuals can utilize their capital to create businesses and freely decide where to spend their money.

Capitalism is a force working for the growth of humanity, because it is the most effective economic system that humans have ever developed for bringing prosperity and abundance to as many individuals as possible. Since the emergence of capitalism, their has been an explosion in human population. Capitalist economies are structured to encourage investment, entrepreneurship, and innovation. This leads to the creation of wealth and an expansion of economic activities. As businesses grow and new industries emerge, employment opportunities increase, allowing more individuals to secure livelihoods. Higher employment rates contribute to better financial stability for families and increased income levels enable families to afford better nutrition, leading to improved health and reduced mortality rates, especially among children.

Economic prosperity also allows individuals to secure stable and comfortable housing, which is fundamental for family stability and growth. Capitalism fosters technological innovation and the generation of new human knowledge, leading to further abundance and easier access to essential resources for life. For all of these reasons, capitalism is most certainly a force working for the growth of humanity.

Democracy

Democracy is a system of government in which power is vested in the hands of the people, either directly or through elected representatives. The term “democracy” originates from the Greek words “demos” (people) and “kratos” (power or rule), collectively meaning “rule by the people.” In democratic societies, the authority of the government is created and sustained by the consent of its people, typically through elected representatives. All citizens have equal access to power and the opportunity to participate in the political process, typically through voting. There are two key forms that democracy can take. In direct democracy, citizens directly participate in decision-making processes without intermediaries. In a representative democracy, citizens elect representatives who make decisions on their behalf. This is the most common form of democracy in the modern world, seen in countries like the United States, Canada, and many European nations. Another common form that democracy takes is constitutional democracy. This is a form of representative democracy where the government’s authority is defined and limited by a constitution, ensuring the protection of fundamental rights and the rule of law. This form can be found in the United States.

Democracy has evolved significantly over time. The concept dates back to ancient Greece, particularly Athens in the 5th century BCE, where citizens participated directly in decision-making. These democratic ideas persisted in various forms throughout the medieval and early modern periods. The Enlightenment period in the 17th and 18th centuries fostered ideas about individual rights and representative government, influencing the formation of modern democratic states. Today, democracy is the most widely adopted form of government globally, though its implementation varies across different countries and cultures.

Democracy is a force working for the growth of humanity because it decentralizes political power in a civilization. It helps prevent tyrannical and malicious leadership from retaining power by force because individuals can vote them out of power. This helps ensure that the people in power are making decisions that represent the will of the civilization as a whole. Democracy often gets blended with systems like republics and capitalism. This blend creates a highly effective society where individuals have the right to elect representatives and also the right to make decisions in the free market. These blends also prevent against the madness of the crowd because citizens elect representatives instead of directly voting on issues and legislation. Since democratic ideals are so effective at empowering citizens and generating prosperous societies, democracy is most certainly a force working for the growth of humanity.

Republicanism

Republicanism is a political philosophy that advocates for a government system where power resides with the people and is exercised through elected representatives. A republic is a form of government in which power is held by the people and their elected representatives rather than by a monarch. In a republic, the head of state is typically a president rather than a king or queen, and governance is based on laws and the constitution, which define citizens’ rights and government limitations. This system emphasizes civic participation, accountability, and the protection of individual freedoms, aiming to prevent any single entity from holding absolute power.

The United States is the best example of a Republic in the modern world. The concept of a republic dates back to ancient times, with the Roman Republic being one of the earliest and most notable examples. In the Roman Republic, citizens elected representatives and held the power to make decisions through an assembly, setting a foundational model for many modern republics. Rome’s system is often recognized as the first structured, large-scale republic. Republics have several very important features regarding the growth of humanity. In a Republic, citizens’ rights are safeguarded by laws and constitutions, preventing unchecked government power. They operate under strict rules of code that the government should not violate. In a Republic, elected representatives are accountable to the people, who have the power to vote them out if they fail to serve effectively. This ensures that the government acts on behalf of the interests of the society at large.

The rule of law and structured governance reduce the likelihood of arbitrary rule, offering long-term stability. If the law is upheld, it is designed to prevent tyrannical leadership. Another important feature of Republics is that they are highly compatible with capitalism as an economic system for society. Republics prioritize personal freedoms and property rights, which support free-market principles by allowing individuals to own and invest in businesses. Republics establish clear legal frameworks, ensuring stable environments for business, protecting contracts, and encouraging investment. Republics also rely on an informed citizenry; capitalism encourages individuals to engage economically, creating an invested middle class that can influence political decision-making.

Republics are beneficial for the growth of humanity, because they lay out a structure that makes the government beholden to the will of the people. They prevent arbitrary, tyrannical rule, empowering individuals to play a role in the political process. They support a capitalistic economic system which is the most beneficial economic system ever designed by humanity. In addition, as opposed to pure democracy, they safeguard against the madness of the crowds by exerting the will of the people through elected representatives. For all of these reasons, Republics are certainly a force working for the growth of humanity.

Conclusion

After examining the variety of forces working for the growth of humanity, their interconnectedness becomes clear. They bolster free speech, natural human biology, individual freedom, ownership, privacy, and the ability to financially support a family.

Cultural and religious institutions—most notably the Abrahamic faiths, enlightenment thinking, and ideals like meritocracy and equality have shaped the moral and philosophical underpinnings of western society. They promote the sanctity of life and value the inherent worth of every individual. These teachings and philosophies intertwine seamlessly with our most fundamental biological forces. Masculinity and femininity complement one another in ensuring not just reproduction, but also robust families and communities. Natural foods and natural human instincts like faith belief further bolster human resilience and optimism for the future.

Finally, stable economic and political systems enable these beneficial forces to spread. Capitalism, democracy, and republicanism, bolstered by newer innovations like cryptocurrency, provide frameworks within which individual freedoms can be protected, entrepreneurship can flourish, and resources can be fairly allocated over time. By reducing tyranny, encouraging open discourse, and incentivizing innovation, these systems directly increase humanity’s capacity to prosper. Taken together, these forces form a powerful ecosystem of growth that makes it easier for people to live prosperous lives, raise families, and discover new truths that drive the growth of humanity.

Matthew Frasetto