The question being asked is conspicuously and consciously provocative. It may be seen as a construct for exploring a particular aspect of the human psyche—that is to say, what it means to be human, in the global scheme of things. Our evolutionary history has been one of looking after “me-first”, rather than the Earth as a whole. How does selfishness stand in the way of addressing a universal and collective problem and how do we overcome this in order to build an equitable global society, living in a sustainable environment? In the absence of a clear answer to such a challenging question, it is difficult to explore the essence of being human—what makes humans “tick?” The core of humans is comprised of the mind and spirit, as well as morals, emotions and ideas, and it is principally these three latter qualities that are having a profound effect on the Earth’s biospheres.
