According to much new archeological and paleoanthropological evidence, humans lived in generally peacefull, small egalitarian groups in prehistory. Most of what we are taught as the history of the human civilization chronicles the rise of human ego-centeredness, technological ingenuity, and territoriality (as populations and agriculture spread), and the inevitable rise of competition, conflict and violence in general. This kind of history of the evolution of human societies is a biased account. The conventional history of conquests, military leaders, and the lives of the powerful has been largely indifferent to the experiences of the great majority of the ordinary human beings. The work of broader historians, such as Fernand Braudel (1980, 1984), and Emmanuel Wallerstein (1991), the challenge of feminist historians, and new interpretations of archeological records have enriched and understanding of our past. This is vital prelude to changing our view of our potential and our future.

In the twentieth century, humans have clearly demonstrated the limits of their six-thousand year experimentation with competition, territoriality, expansionism, and military conflict. More scholars are at last studying humanity's ancient war system and the roots of human violence - all the bad but important news in our biochemistry, brains, evolution, social conditioning, and hierarchical, patriarchal institutions. Increasing technological virtuosity linked to this war system has brought us to the brink of many annihilation scenarios - from nuclear and biological holocausts to slower, more insidious threats like toxic wastes, urban decay, desertification, an climate change.

We will trace the emerging death rattles of this violent, competition/conflict paradigm and its dominance-submission, win-loose games. We will identify the flash points and crises that illustrate the dysfunctionality on the paradigm and force us for our very survival toward new approaches.

As we examine these signs of human potential for personal and social learning, we see how breakdowns are often precursors and even necessary for breackthroughs.

Sustain Harvest's Team by Pénélope MORIN