The article describes what humanity as a whole is, what are its distinctive features, and what a possible future awaits us.
Ancient times
Life on our planet has existed for more than 3 billion years. This term is extremely difficult to realize, but it is worth noting that it is a reasonable person who dominates the Earth according to approximate estimates of about 100 thousand years.
So what is humanity? This is the general totality of all ever existing people. But often this term is understood only by modern inhabitants of the Earth and their relatively close ancestors. One of the most striking and distinguishing features of people as a biological species is a multilateral and complex civilization with a rich culture and features. Humanity is, first of all, diversity, in which people, though with difficulty, still manage to coexist peacefully. Although, like all other animals, people sometimes have attempts to destroy their own kind on racial or other differences. But first things first.
Number
Now on our planet there are about 7.3 billion people. And, interestingly, the strongest population growth in history occurred in the middle of the 20th century, when scientists created herbicides and pesticides, which made it possible to significantly increase the yield of cultivated plants in naturally disadvantaged regions, for example, Africa. Naturally, further growth will lead to a gradual overpopulation. Mankind understands this , but, alas, it is possible to control the birth rate in a single state, as in China, but not on the entire planet.
Genetic and social differences
All people belong to the same species, but despite this, they are different. The first and most important is racial distinction. There are three of them - the Caucasian type, Negroid and Mongoloid.
The second is gender. People can be only two genders, female or male. Naturally, when it comes to a healthy person, but due to some genetic mutations, deviations appear. Such a division is caused not only by biological differences, but also cultural. And only nowadays in most countries women have received the same social rights as men. But some regions still differ in their harsh, if not cruel, attitude towards them. Progressive humanity does not approve of this, but it is extremely difficult to peacefully resolve such a situation.
The third difference is language. The division into language groups occurred in ancient times, and most of them have long received the status of "dead".
Fourth, these are bonds of kinship. Again, even in prehistoric times, our ancestors understood that it was very profitable to keep in touch or live with their relatives. This has survived in our time - all ethnic and other groups attach great importance to kinship.
The fifth difference is ethnic. It is formed depending on the general history, region of residence, tradition, common language or culture. Most people also attach great importance to this.
The sixth and last is political. Any society, even the smallest one, has a need for leadership, starting from petty disputes at the level of savages of African tribes, ending with developed and large states. For this reason, almost the entire history of the war and revolution arose, since not everyone likes this or that political system. Alas, even the future of mankind will probably not lose this. Although, according to some futurologists, one prevailing system should triumph on Earth. And there are prerequisites for this, the same democracy in most of Eurasia.
What does humanity expect?
Alas, no one has been given a glimpse of the future. But, if we argue from the point of view of sociology, then the already begun overpopulation will bring a lot of problems. Also a threat poses environmental pollution due to exhaust gases - the carbon dioxide contained in them seriously increases the greenhouse effect.
But in general, everything is not so scary, if you trace the world course of history, you can notice, albeit a leisurely, but an improvement in the quality of life of people. For example, the lack of mass hunger, epidemics, and world wars. So the future of humanity should not be as terrible as some imagine.
If we turn to the opinion of science fiction writers, who often predict the course of history, like the same Jules Verne with his faxes, telephones, electric chair, etc., there are several options for the development of mankind.
The first and negative is mutual extermination due to overpopulation, famine or nuclear wars.
The second is universal prosperity and prosperity in a world without conflict, hunger and want. Both of them have the right to life, but if modern humanity has not yet destroyed each other at the height of technology, then we hope that we can do without this in the future.
The role of the individual
Despite the tendency to self-isolation and falling out of public life, the role of an individual in the life of any modern system has an important role. Many believe that their actions, even the best ones, do not change anything, but this is not so. As Stanislav Lets said: “Not a single snowflake in an avalanche considers itself guilty.” Of course, in our time it is more complicated, but sometimes personalities are born that change the course of history.
Man and humanity are indivisible. The phenomenon of the fact that sometimes people tend to leave society is also growing.
Culture
Even our distant ancestors understood the importance of its significance. The first of the found primitive musical instruments, toys or animal figures date back hundreds of thousands of years BC.
The Renaissance era has shown - the normal development of society without art or culture is impossible.
The culture of mankind is incredibly diverse, and most peoples in every possible way strive to maintain their past and strengthen the new.