At the heart of this remarkable work is the idea that we are genetically primed to build good societies and that, in fact, this is an evolutionary inevitability. Christakis refers to this deeply ingrained imprint as the social suite. At its core lies our capacity for love, cooperation, friendship, teaching and learning. These capacities manifest in many different ways, from our ability to recognize the identity of strangers to our tendencies toward tribalism and organizing into “mildly hierarchical” societies.
In the first chapters, Christakis discusses the critical role of the social suite in determining a society’s continuity. For example, the survival of societies born out of shipwrecks is correlated with the degree of cooperation among its members. A dramatic example is recounted of two separate shipwrecks on an island south of New Zealand in the late 19th century. Risking their own lives, the men in the first shipwreck saved another member from drowning, establishing a sense of cooperation from the outset. Meanwhile, concerned with the scarcity of supplies, members of the second shipwreck decided to leave an injured companion behind. These initial events set the stage for the eventual prosperity of the first and utter collapse of the second community. Christakis also evaluates how artificial societies that attempt to suppress parts of the social suite—such as pair-bonding in both polyamorous and chaste communes in America—almost inevitably collapse.
In the second part, the focus is geared towards exploring the genetic origins of the social suite, focusing on how it emerges in animal societies. Intelligent mammals—such as chimpanzees, whales, dolphins and elephants—all display some, and sometimes all, elements of the social suite. Many interesting examples are discussed, such as the mourning rituals of elephants and the way chimpanzees can easily recognize themselves in the mirror. A beautiful by-product of this discussion is that it connects our humanity to other animals, and more generally, introduces the ethos of humanity as part of nature. Although trivial from a biological perspective, this idea is lacking in our man-above-nature Judeo-Christian culture, which, over time, has led us to the ecological crisis of our age (as was explained half a century ago by Lynn White Jr.). Thus, the recognition of the social suite is not merely an academic insight, but possibly a compass pointing toward a betterment of our culture.
In the final pages, Christakis addresses two important (and related) points. First, he argues for a shift of perspective on societal issues from a divisive, purely historical paradigm to acknowledge the underlying evolutionary forces—the same forces that shaped the social suite and allowed cooperative societies to arise. Second, with the advent of gene-modifying technology, we will soon have the ability to alter the stream of evolution, and as a corollary, society itself. As we enter this new era, we need to do more than recognize the importance of evolutionary forces. A new social contract will need to position the social suite as an inalienable foundation of humanity.
Evolutionary forces have shaped our ability to love, cooperate, make friends, teach and learn. They have led us, as a species, to self-domesticate and reject both tyranny and complete anarchy. Christakis and his colleagues have shown that societies throughout the world display the same structural patterns, evidence of the evolutionary origin of the social suite.
Blueprint reveals a fundamental truth: the essence of human society may be a blueprint for goodness. In the words of Christakis, “the arc of our evolutionary history is long. But it bends toward goodness”.
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