What Would Happen To Us?

Southland Times, Issue 21177, 2 September 1930, Page 6

What Would Happen To Us?

IF HEREDITY CEASED. If heredity should cease we should be born with no inherent or instinctive knowledge of all that our ancestors, through millions of years, have so slowly accumulated for our benefit and happiness. The clasp of a baby’s hand, perhaps the most instinctive of the human race, would be forgotten. Even the action of walking in an upright position, or indeed, of any movement, would have to be re-discovered by each succeeding generation. Speech would have to be re-learned at great labour because the function of the vocal chords and muscles would be forgotten. Human affections, care for others and self-sacrifice cannot be the product of one brief generation. Therefore, without heredity, little of these would survive. Written law, as now, would be our guide to ordered, communal life. But the will of the individual to conform to a code for the good of all would be robbed of its strongest inspiration—long generations of law-abiding ancestors. Genius w'ould cease, for genius is but the accumulated experience of mankind made manifest in a suitable brain.

Advancement would be impossible, for the effort of re-discovering previous achievement would be too great for our new and unaided intellects.