A long running Russian experiment, beginning in 1959, documents the domestication of the Silver Fox, establishing the process of actual physiological changes and modification of natural traits that convert a wary independent wild beast into a floppy-eared, tail-wagging attention seeker, eager to please, in as little as six generations.

This domestication syndrome applies to many mammals, within which we must include humans. Self domestication of human beings within society is deemed by many to be an important element in the continuing evolution or civilization process. Aggression and “unfit behavior” is punished, while passivity, success and fitting-in is lauded and rewarded.

All private, public and ecclesiastical institutions are built around this mission of the domestication of the human being and those of us working in the training of young minds must be perfectly clear of the central role education plays in this process. While understanding the value in “civilizing” aggressive traits as a social benefit, we must also recognize the trade-off of lessening innate skills and instincts, before blindly continuing the rewards-based obedience training that education has morphed into.

Independence, in thought, in speech and in action not only should not be lost, but must be consciously regained. Specialization has become equated with conformity and dependence, not because specialization requires conformity, but because obedience has become the underpinning of the domestication/educational process. This particular aspect is fundamental and urgent to be dealt with in a timely fashion.

Modification to the prefrontal cortex of the brain effecting gene expression and hormone levels, among other changes not fully understood to date, has been detected in the Silver Fox experiment. In our own experience, we see that many of our domesticated dogs have become so dependent on our care, that their very survival on their own, in the wild, would be extremely doubtful.

Is it possible that part of the concern regarding current intellectual, emotional and survival capacities of the human race stems from the result of over-domestication? No evidence yet of floppy ears but it could be argued that the tail-wagging definitely has set in. How many humans would survive if current systems were to fail? How long would our “good behavior” survive? More importantly, is the descent into blind obedience the best way forward for humanity?

The Silver Fox experiment is a jarring eye-opener, one which should jolt us into rethinking education and into designing a re-wilding of independence and self-reliance back into the human being.

RAB
3 August 26