Environmental Change and Human Nature Theme Analysis

Given the catastrophic effects of human activity on the environment, The Sixth Extinction bumps up against one of the most frightening and mysterious questions about human nature: what kind of creatures are human beings, that they have the ability and the need to cause the Sixth Extinction?

To explore this question, Kolbert first defines who human beings are based on what they can do; she posits that the human species’ defining characteristic is its ability to change the environment. Humans have altered their environments profoundly for as long as they’ve been human, and almost every major milestone in human history (the Agricultural and Industrial Revolutions, for example) reflects an increase in human control over the environment. While many people would intuitively define humans in terms of their powerful cognitive abilities, Kolbert argues that human intelligence, while impressive, isn’t definitive. Chimpanzees and other apes often outperform young children in puzzles, and they show the capacity for abstract reasoning and logical inference. Furthermore, there have been other highly intelligent species in history, such as the Neanderthals. Instead, Kolbert argues that the species’ most lasting legacy (and, therefore, its most noteworthy trait) is its ability to change planet Earth itself. For this reason, some scientists have named the modern era the “Anthropocene”—the age of man.

Kolbert ties human beings’ unique achievements to their unique ambition, drive, and passion—qualities which, one could argue, fall into the category of “madness.” Humans, it would seem, are the only creatures on the planet who feel a need to explore other places, even when their current environments are satisfactory. They are also the only creatures on the planet who seem to aspire to be remembered after their deaths. To emphasize the fundamental strangeness of human ambition, Kolbert contrasts human beings with their close relatives, the Neanderthals, who lived in Europe thousands of years ago. Early humans explored other environments, but Neanderthals were, it seems, content to remain in their homes. Scientists have argued that humans have a unique “madness gene,” which pushes them to discover and conquer the rest of the word. In such a sense, humans’ “madness” is the fuel that drives them to alter the environment, and represents a basic part of their nature.

Kolbert offers a final (and more optimistic) definition of human nature: the ability to nurture and protect others. While it’s true that humans have caused an enormous amount of damage to the environment, it is also notable that humans are the only creatures who seem to expend their time and effort protecting other species. (Indeed, much of The Sixth Extinction consists of Kolbert visiting the many wildlife preserves and endangered species facilities around the world.) Ultimately, then, Kolbert offers a nuanced, even contradictory, view of human nature. Humans are both destructive and creative; they’re capable of wiping out entire species without caring, but also of preserving endangered species with incredible care and kindness. Perhaps humans have the freedom to choose what kind of lives they want to live, and which aspects of their nature they want to indulge—this, Kolbert suggests, is humanity’s best hope against the Sixth Extinction.