Peaceful World? What Peaceful World?
In 2013, I published the second edition of ‘Parenting for a Peaceful World’; some of you may be familiar with it. If you’re not, that’s fine! Here’s the gist: Parenting for a Peaceful World is a synthesis of anthropology, the history of childhood and developmental neuropsychology. It presents research showing that childrearing customs are the prime driver of social evolution. It demonstrates that authoritarianism in politics springs from punitive styles of child-rearing, and conversely, bursts of democratic progress have always been generated by childrearing reforms towards more validating and non-violent upbringing and education. The psycho-historical chapters trace childrearing and education trends over the last two centuries, that move away from the punitive, authoritarian styles of our forebears, towards more empathic and playful modes. Wherever these childrearing reforms take hold, the emerging generations produce notable shifts towards democracy, human rights and social justice.
Parenting for a Peaceful World book ends in a note of conditional optimism, having chronicled great leaps in human rights observance and peaceful outcomes in the wake of child-rearing reforms around the world. It infers that if these childrearing reforms continue – and that is a big ‘if’! – then the transition from dominator-style cultures to partnership-style cultures will progress in a positive direction. Furthering our global commitment to emotionally healthy childhood is foundational for a more just, democratic, peaceful and ecologically sound society.
Well, at the time of writing this series, over 10 years have passed since the latest edition of Parenting for a Peaceful World. It’s time to do a little stocktake. How is humanity’s report card looking, since 2013? Have unfolding world events confirmed or denied the forecasts implied in my book? New warfronts have opened, threatening to go global, nuclear or both. Progress on many desperately needed environmental protections has stalled or gone into reverse. Europe, parts of South America and the USA are in the grip of a hardline, reactionary nationalistic revolution that shows no signs of abatement. A global pandemic - and the ensuing emergency responses - exposed bitter societal divisions, dividing families and communities. Yep, things do look grim.
Was I too utopian, maybe? I know I’m not immune to wishful thinking. The more I learn about how damaged our ecosystems are, the more tormented I feel for all the young people I know and love, beginning with my daughter. What kind of world are we leaving for them? It would be a fair critique of my work to say this gnawing worry is a strong incentive for cherry-picking data – much as I do my best to be honest with myself and discerning in my research. But now that you know my agenda, you will need to judge my words accordingly.
So: if social evolution went into recession, why did that happen? If social evolution depends on continued childrearing reforms, does the current regression towards authoritarianism signify childrearing reforms gone into reverse?
No question, our world is in crisis, a very perilous crisis. But I want to argue that this as a growth crisis. And a smooth, linear growth path is not what I have ever witnessed in individuals (throughout my years as a psychotherapist), nor have I read about one in a history book. Old structures do not typically go gently into their twilight.
Humanity’s survival imperative is this: a constitutional shift from dominator to partnership societies. To say it another way: we're utterly dependant on a shift from Eco-phobic to Biophilic economics. And signs do abound that this Great Transition is well and truly underway, and gathering steam. More precisely, that’s the Paradigm Shift that this Substack refers to.
I look forward to, in subsequent parts of this essay, sharing evidence of a still-growing trend for the adult world to better listen to and validate the emotional needs of babies and children. This is conditioning the younger generations’ more collaborative instincts; a more heart-centred social impulse. Since this movement has been unfolding for quite some time now, signs are everywhere that a shift towards empathy as the currency of human affairs is taking root: sprouting here, germinating there, even flowering in places – though you would not know it from the usual reporting platforms. Renowned economist Jeremy Rifkin calls this ‘The Empathic Civilization”. You can see its inception and diffusion – if you know where to look.
As with every birth, there is struggle involved. My purpose in this series is to show you evidence: a non-exhaustive - but exciting - list of concrete examples of this Paradigm Shift manifesting in every key area of human endeavour and societal structure. If like me you are feeling distressed and even gloomy sometimes about the current dark turn in geopolitical affairs, I think what I will share with you in this series may be a salve for your heart. Less a guarantee of a happy outcome, more a call to action based on an analysis of solid progress towards a more empathic civilization.
To traditionalists, this new-look society might seem alien, even apocalyptic. A threat to the established order. We can expect periodic backlash and social-evolutionary regression, as momentum mounts in this necessary Paradigm Shift.
As in other key times of history, the greatest changes take hold from the ground up, at the level of culture. They are not imposed from above, irrespective of what might appear to be happening at the blunt end of political machinations. The truly Big Changes seem to happen following periods of cataclysmic unrest. Maybe, just maybe, as has happened so many times in our past, a new kind of society is being birthed.
Whether you dream or act for democracy, justice, peace or sustainability, you need to see the wins, where they are and just how big they are. This will hearten and re-energize you if newsreels have crushed your spirit. I believe if we understand this terrifying moment in history as a backlash; a clash of old and new paradigms, this can brightly illuminate our way through the gloom. And if you have come to feel helpless, that your voice makes little difference in the face of apparently immutable power, I think you’ll find this series surprisingly empowering.
Stay tuned for Part 2 of this series, where I will begin to unpack the elements of an era-defining civilizational crisis that we find ourselves in. I’ll be discussing the nature of a Paradigm Shift we seem to have entered; the social-evolutionary forces emerging and the backlash against these. I hope you’ll join the discussion!
This is precisely why I bought a box of “Parenting for a Peaceful World” after reading it. What a delight to see this series put our current time into context. Thank you Robin!!!!
Spot on Robin. The grief can be overwhelming without a shot of optimism. Thank you.