Kurt Vonnegut\'s Work Titled, Galapagos. The Writer

¶ … Kurt Vonnegut's work titled, Galapagos. The writer of this paper explores Vonnegut's theory of evolution and where it is headed if we do not stop thinking thoughts. There was one source used to complete this paper.

The globalization process gives mankind a peek into a fast forward demonstration of what evolution is about. The change to accommodate need is what mankind adapts for the purpose of survival and evolvement. Because it is such a slow process it is difficult to see where mankind will be in the future, but author Kurt Vonnegut provides one possible scenario in his book; "Galapagos."

HIS VISION

Vonnegut presents a theory of the future that at first glance is scary and dismal, however when one peels off the top layer and examines the underpinnings it becomes evident that the process will take so long to occur mankind will accept it as it happens. This is precisely what the author is trying to avoid however, and allows for a theory that may stop it from happening. According to Vonnegut the brain is going to be the demise of mankind as it is known today. Because the brain has been responsible for mankind's progress to this point it is the opinion of the author in this work of literature that a process will occur that is almost a reverse evolutionary path. The brain is going to become so powerful according to Vonnegut that other parts of the body will not be needed. The hands in particular are going to become worthless and the brain is going to think itself into smallness as the full circle of evolution becomes realized (Vonnegut, 1990).

Vonnegut is warning the world that nature giveth and nature can taketh away. He illustrates an imagined scenario that will provide the ability of nature to correct the out of control path mankind has taken with the ability of the brain. According to Vonnegut's theory humans cannot see the large picture. The every day needs and desire to compete and move forward is causing man to use the brain to push itself forward. Just as man cannot see the whole picture from the beginning to modern times, it is impossible to view the end result of the slow process mankind is following today (Vonnegut, 1990). Vonnegut provides a fast forward to what will happen to mankind in the future because of the insistence on pushing for more advances in technology, science, and medicine.

Vonnegut details in the book why the brain is the biggest source of evil that there is. The power of thinking is what will bring the human species to its eventual metamorphosis that is described in the book as the loss of hands and the replacement with fins. The brains will also become smaller and less capable of intricate thought process. The process of natural selection will eventually target the human brain according to the book and it will slowly begin to reverse the brain ability so that the world becomes more equal.

The full circle will eventually bring the human species to the same level of a small brained seal with the same type of fins and skin to go with it. The book depicts this process taking more than a million years which is realistic considering how long it has taken man to evolve to this point. Through a new bacterium the world population begins to dwindle until mankind becomes extinct is the theory of the story (Vonnegut, 1990).

As the process progresses it is eventually believed that owning a big brain causes nothing but trouble and is "distracting and irrelevant and disruptive" ((Vonnegut, 1990) pp174)."

This eventual self-destruction of mankind can be stopped according to the story's theory by not thinking any progressive thoughts. Vonnegut believes that a purposeful effort not to think complex thoughts can reverse the process of the evolution continuum that currently threatens the human species (Vonnegut, 1990).

This solution proposed by the author to stop thinking complex or complicated thoughts for the purpose of saving the world is a vicious circle in and of itself. It asks mankind to use the very process that is threatening to destroy it to save itself. The idea of a brain causing the destruction of the world because of its ability to process and plot works because the world has already seen the destruction of the rain forest, the development of nuclear weapons and other negative aspects of the brain at work. But asking the brain to use the very ability that will destroy the world in a conscious effort not to think sounds like asking someone to commit suicide. It is asking the very process that is supposedly bad to continue by not using its ability. The circle is never ending and can become quite frustrating to try and understand.