What do the political ascent of US Senator JD Vance and the principles of natural selection have in common? According to a radical new thesis from evolutionary biologist Mark Vellend, the answer is: everything.
In his provocative new book, Everything Evolves, Vellend makes the audacious argument that Charles Darwin's theory of evolution is not confined to the biological realm. Instead, it provides the ultimate framework for understanding the emergence and success of everything from languages and legal systems to moral codes and, most contentiously, political ideologies.
The Darwinian Lens on Culture
Vellend posits that human culture is not a separate entity from nature but is subject to the same fundamental evolutionary forces: variation, selection, and inheritance. Ideas, customs, and beliefs compete in a vast ecosystem of the human mind, with the 'fittest'—those most appealing, useful, or memorable—surviving and being passed on.
This cultural evolution, he argues, operates at a breathtaking speed compared to genetic change, dramatically accelerating the transformation of human societies.
JD Vance: A Case Study in Memetic Fitness
The book's application of this theory to contemporary figures is where it becomes particularly incendiary. Vellend uses the journey of JD Vance—from Hillbilly Elegy author to Trump-aligned Republican vice-presidential candidate—as a prime example.
Vance's worldview, a potent blend of populism, nationalism, and personal narrative, is analysed not merely as a political stance but as a successful 'meme complex'. This suite of ideas proved exceptionally well-adapted to its environment: a demographic experiencing economic anxiety and cultural displacement. Its rapid replication and adoption, Vellend suggests, are a textbook case of cultural selection.
Implications: Beyond Politics
The implications of Vellend's thesis are vast and unsettling. If Darwinian rules govern culture, it challenges deeply held notions of human rationality, free will, and conscious progress. It suggests that the ideologies that dominate a society are not necessarily the most moral or true, but simply the most effective at replicating themselves.
This framework could be applied to explain the viral spread of social media trends, the dominance of certain religious doctrines, or the persistence of harmful stereotypes. It provides a powerful, if potentially reductive, tool for analysing human history.
A Theory Not Without Its Critics
The review notes that this Darwinian approach to culture is far from universally accepted. Critics argue that it risks being a sweeping metaphor rather than a rigorous science, often overlooking human agency, the role of powerful institutions, and the sheer randomness of historical events. Reducing the complex tapestry of JD Vance's rise to mere 'memetic fitness' may ignore the calculated strategy, financial backing, and specific historical moment that propelled him.
Despite these criticisms, Everything Evolves is hailed as a thrillingly ambitious and thought-provoking work. It forces readers to confront a disquieting question: are we the architects of our culture, or merely the hosts for ideas that are using us to survive and propagate?
