Humans are such a bizarre species. I don’t recall any other species with such ambition yet being so pathetic all at once. They’re fine with stepping on any other species to establish themselves as the dominant one, but are ultimately trampling themselves to death as they don’t understand or stop what they’re doing that’s setting them back.
A significant portion of this mindset is the refusal to alter the status quo and therefore reject any further evolution potential for arbitrary reasons. To reject the concept of evolution as an origin story is one thing, but to deny any further possible improvement to the species because of some desperate attachment for the world to stay exactly the same is a death wish on a global level. Granted, if a possible improvement theory would ultimately cause more harm than good, such as dousing a population with radioactive waste to see if they happen to grow a third arm, rejecting that idea might actually make sense.
Because of the large number of humans insistent on humans staying of exactly the same species and confined to a set number of configurations, also considering those who want cars to stay as four-wheeled combustion engine vehicles, as well as those who want the whole internet to be like any other media to focus purely on the opinions of the elite classes, it’s seeming like a spiraling dive toward extinction. It could be driven by some primal fear of extinction of another kind, the kind that occurs when a species no longer exists in its original form due to branching out into others.
While some sexually-reproducing species have the capability to alter their sex organs freely, humans tend to require some form of medical assistance to do similarly on a physical level. Even if such alterations may be more cosmetic than functional at the time, humans have at least begun to adapt to the idea of detachment from adherence to one’s own gender or attraction defined by given parts. Of course, the stubborn humans practically want this emerging group executed as they see them as a threat to the continuation of the species. There are so many holes in that attempt at logic, especially if they only focus on population growth. Given the general rate of growth, the appearance of individuals either uninterested in breeding for offspring or willing to adopt is ultimately more beneficial to the persistence of the species. It also goes without saying that such ideas can even apply to the “normal” straight crowd, even those fully capable of breeding. They’re ultimately under pressure from the ones who want every person to marry and have children, and if they feel no pressure from that, then there’s hardly anything that can be done to stop them from living as they please.
While the stubborn humans continue to split up humans by physical traits, humans are still effectively a single species at this point until they can branch out and be more defined by some newly developed and common aspect. If these stubborn types believed more in science, it would be no surprise if they tried to attach species categorization purely by skin tone, as some animal species defined by science itself seem to differ largely by feather or fur patterns and related, yet still have some possibility of interbreeding. Humans are still considered a single species in the name of science, which may also reflect an inherent conceit of the species. It would have to take something else to really count as a new species in the viewpoint of humans. It’s at least a good idea to be forward-thinking there, but not sure why this logic isn’t applied so much to birds of different coloration yet the same general type of bird. Just humans get this special treatment.
Humans seem largely defined by their tools. Any form of manipulation to use a tool which can ultimately alter the world state. Even for those denied the use of the usual hands that humans take for granted, there are still tools which they can use. A major fairly recent development is the smartphone, where carrying a pocket assistant is no longer reserved for business types. I don’t know about that alone allowing definition of a new species, but there has been a rise in a new form of hieroglyphic language in the sense of emoji as a result. It’s more of a cultural evolution than a species one, but baby steps. Increased global connection has been a double-edged sword, where new ideas are given rise and the possibility to make ideas once though impossible more tangible, but also opens the flood to link ideas that can lead to extinction to the more gullible humans. A large number of those ideas seem to come from the stubborn humans once again, as they repeat their ideal world state and how to return to it and deny any further growth.
The ultimate state of physical evolution could take several forms. DNA can be altered, but the question is how far it could actually go. Gradual mutations in DNA are the core of evolution, so whatever ideal form humans end up pursuing could be anything that’s thrown into that realm, whether by chance or a wave of genetic alteration on conception. That would only apply with organic forms. While computer frameworks capable of handling the structure of a human brain still don’t seem current, it may be possible, and some concepts of its building blocks are emerging as reality, so it seems more attainable now than previously. The ability to separate a mind from body without losing the mind would be a goal in this case, to transplant it into a customized body, organic or mechanical or even hybrid. It would defy death, but such power could also result in chaos. As well, if a mind can be translated into a manufactured vessel, keeping any rampant corporations from claiming ownership over what is effectively a soul would be important. Being able to take this technology and program a custom mind as well would also be a landmark achievement that would raise plenty of concern. In this kind of cyber future, the stubborn humans in this case would aim to keep this new breed of sentient virtual intelligence classified as an object, and possibly group any human mind transfer subjects under the same umbrella.
Ultimately, none of these advances would amount to anything if the stubborn humans continue to hold back humanity with their influence. The problem with humans ultimately comes down to humans themelves. In pursuit of the status quo remaining as such, they only seek a slow and boring death, taking the species with them to their graves. If this is some bizarre psychotic revenge plan for an unfulfilled childhood, I can only wonder what lengths that later generations would do if and when they got control of everything. I also wonder what lengths the holding generations will go to in order to keep their apparent power over everything. I doubt we’ve seen the extent of it yet. If the result ends up being along the lines of organ harvesters sent to areas of certain populations under the guise of other societally-infused problems, it would only make sense. It’s just something to look out for. In a sense of irony, the elite would force evolution upon themselves to prevent it overall.
If anything, there have been many advances which aim to destroy humans more than support them. There is so much old technology that was abandoned for the goal of making things quick and cheap and ultimately more profitable somehow through bizarre logic. The concept of the milk bottle has been largely abandoned, for one instance. Instead, milk and other drinks now typically come in a disposable container, sometimes recyclable. The idea of a reusable bottle is really only sold as an economical and ecological aspect for the consumer at this point, yet they haven’t put these ideas back together again. Milk was before purchased in glass bottles which were emptied and sanitized to be refilled. This could apply to many other types of drinks with the right glass. Bottles can be easily cleaned and refilled, and if damaged can be recycled into new bottles. Instead some recycling plants are deciding to refuse glass altogether. Ultimately, this is making the aspect of home canning even more appealing to those minding environment or budget, as instead of buying many plastic or glass jars that might not make it back to a recyclable state, there’s a lot of use from a single set of jars. Then there’s the lids, which are also adapted to the modern sense of being disposable. Turns out they’ve previously made and still do make reusable ones as well. Using this and a bit of cooking know-how, someone wanting jams and jellies for instance can efficiently make a stock that will last at lower cost in many dimensions, even if they only buy the fruit or juice in disposable containers and use disposable lids.
At least it seems that people have the idea of donating old clothing for use by others, but there’s also the idea of using clothes too worn through to donate as raw material for other clothes repair, or even constructing new apparel entirely. At the very least, they can be repurposed into cleaning rags to save on paper towels.
This idea of evolution is a bit of a mixed one, where not only must humans advance overall, but also maintain core important ideas that will benefit them in the long run so that they can continue to advance, or else reach an untimely death and possibly ruin any shot the next Earth-dominating species has at reaching space if they have such a goal, or at a civilization in general. Humans seem keen on abandoning useful technology for trendy ones and denying societal advancement for closed-mindedness. Humans don’t have long to prove themselves as a decent enough species for themselves to keep around.