Introduction. For a society to become socially sustainable, it must also become self-directed, self-organizing and self-adjusting. Yet, how is that possible when changing conditions are endemic and perennially affect all social organizations and are the primary reasons that precede the failure of societies?
Discern this closely: It is not changing conditions that cause the downfall of societies, but the failure of societies to adapt to those changing conditions. The survival of any species is reflected in their ability to adapt to changing conditions. As intelligent as humans claim to be we have not yet mastered the ability to adapt our societies to changing conditions. Until now, we have had no means to tap into the collective awareness, experience and intelligence of individuals within our societies as other species do. Nature offers us two examples that may give us hope that the societies of the human species may one day become as adaptive.
A Murmur of Birds. Have you ever seen a group of birds wheel and turn in the sky as one entity? That’s a murmur of birds. How is it that they are able to do that? Scientists have determined that the organization of a group of birds, fish, and insects for example is determined by their density and proximity to each other1. Usually the pattern is one of disorder, where each individual is going in their own determined direction. The second pattern is that of a torus that occurs when the group moves from chaotic motion to moving in a circle. The third pattern occurs when the group begins to move in a distinct direction where each individual moves in concert with all others.
This behavior is not solely limited to other species. Humans also have the capability to “swarm” when conditions are right, particularly in hazardous situations as when a fire breaks out in a crowded room. What is remarkable is that this action has the appearance of being self-directed, self-organizing and self-adjusting that requires no authority or top down leadership to initiate. What is missing in our societies, when there is no threat to survival, is an intentional process that initiates positive and constructive social action. Also what is missing is a methodology for sharing the awareness of those few individuals who are first alerted and then inform the larger population; and a means for harvesting the collective intelligence of the larger society and shared with everyone who then can guide the course of their individual life, along with everyone else.
Cellular Communication. Multi-cellular organisms are able to adapt to a changing environment because small clusters of cells are poised to sense and become aware of changing conditions. For example, in the early spring a moth inside its chrysalis is alerted to the warming of longer daylight hours from a cluster of cells that first sensed those changes. Those cells send signals to the rest of the organism sharing the awareness that temperatures and sunlight are sufficient for it to begin breaking out of its winter sanctuary. Similarly, in the autumn when temperatures begin to fall, hornets begin the process of generating a type of anti-freeze to withstand the freezing temperatures of winter. It was first alerted to this change from the signals of cells that are attuned to temperature changes. On a larger scale, ants that scout the forest for food return to the nest to signal the colony that food is available, whereupon thousands of worker ants go to the site and return with the bounty of the discovery. And similarly for bees and their hive.
Cellular communication occurs in multi-cellular organisms and within hives of bees, colonies of ants, flocks of birds, schools of fish, and many other creatures. Each individual is prepared to provide a “first awareness” communication with the larger organism to alert it to abundance or potential danger. The larger organism, whether a large animal or a whole colony of bees, has a far greater chance of surviving a changing environment when clusters of cells first sense that change and signal an alert to the rest of the body. This is the heart of adaptability that enhances survival. What is obvious in nature seems so foreign to our human social institutions and organizations: Groups of individuals are on constant lookout for opportunities and threatening developments. They are the first to become aware, sending out their signals that are acknowledged as legitimate to alert the rest of the organization. The survival of all is recognized as essential for the individual to survive. No top down authority structure is needed to make this work, and work well.
1 Yong, Ed, “As One,” WIRED – 21.04, April 2013, p. 104-.