According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, a revolution is defined as “a sudden, radical, or complete change.” Other dictionaries tend to add the word “dramatic” to the mix. But, the problem with drama is that it often tends to be loud, exaggerated and short-lived.

Evolution, on the other hand, is a subtle change that occurs over large tracts of time. Unlike revolutions, evolutionary change is so subtle that it is difficult to spot it in action at any single point in time. But, the impact of such changes are so profound that they can be seen even millions of years after the initial original deviation was kick-started.  

Jean-Lamarck, one of the pioneers of evolutionary theory, made the point that evolution was not merely an overarching collective change, but rather occurred in and through individuals. In other words, the fundamental unit of evolution is the individual who chooses to, whether by chance or by conscious will, adopt a new way or manner by which to interact with the world around them. The accumulation of such individual-level changes is the dynamic basis of large-scale evolution.

On the contrary, revolutionary change, more often than not, demands a concerted community-driven impulse. Even though an individual might start a revolution, it requires others to join in and add weight to a purpose that is against the general socio-cultural tide of the times. 

Evolutionary change doesn’t demand anything. In fact, as Charles Darwin put it, it is more or less a blind process that leaves all possibilities open rather than demanding a single conclusion like revolutions do. In other words, it is a more exploratory process, open to experimentation and interpretation.

However, it is to be noted that evolution is not merely an individualistic process. It is inherited by the progeny of the individual, which in the case of social change doesn’t necessarily mean their children alone. The only difference is that in evolutionary changes, the individual passes on their unique perspectives and approaches through natural means, rather than via concerted efforts to disseminate information, like in revolutions. 

Socio-Cultural Inheritance and Memes 

According to Richard Dawkins, the renowned evolutionary biologist and author, the way natural inheritance occurs in a socio-cultural context is through “memes”. These, he describes, as being the fundamental units of culture. 

The “meme” is by no means an obscure or novel word. Memes have become the socio-cultural currency of the internet today, transmitting perspectives through images, sonic arrangements and other such creative mediums. 

But, in a more strict sense of the word, a meme is any behaviour or perspective that can be transmitted and embodied. Memes, once embodied, tend to grow within the mind of the individual and in turn, are integrated into more complex behavioural and cognitive structures, which Dawkins explains is the core instinct of memes. He describes them as being analogous to living entities, in the sense that they want to survive and expand their influence across populations.  

In this context, so-called “normal” aspects of human behaviours, such as shaking hands, hugging, bowing, wearing a tie, small talk, all had their origins as memetic transmissions on the socio-cultural landscape. They evolved naturally and became a part of how we express ourselves in daily life.

Moreover, it is important to note that they evolved due to biological tendencies and then eventually, became socio-cultural tendencies. For instance, according to anthropologist Bronislaw Malinowski, small talk evolved as an expression of the fundamental need within humans for belongingness or procuring the favour and company of others. 

He describes small talk in the following manner:

“Each utterance is an act serving the direct aim of binding hearer to speaker by a tie of some social sentiment or other…..serves to establish bonds of personal union between people brought together by the mere need of companionship and does not serve any purpose of communicating ideas.”

We can all agree that calling small talk a “revolutionary change” in our society would be an over-exaggeration. It is an evolutionary one that has over time ebbed and flowed in terms of modes of preference, forms of expression and nature. But, it is a meme that has survived till this day as it serves a fundamental function.

On the other hand, the fast-paced, violent and dramatic revolutions, such as the French Revolution, the Communist Revolution, and others, have had relatively short-lived amounts of time on the socio-cultural stage. Even though their impact still rings loud through the halls of history even today, they are not as fundamentally integrated into our socio-cultural genetic/memetic pool as small talk or handshakes are.  

No matter who one identifies as, Communist, Socialist or from any other ideological bend, you might find yourself having to indulge in small talk every once in a while.

Such is the nature of evolutionary change.

Spreading the Memes of Inclusion

While recalibrating our relationship to concepts like ‘love’ and ‘inclusion’, it becomes clear that although being enigmatic and prone to misinterpretation, they derive from experiences that are foundational to being human. 

In other words, no matter how overwhelming these large issues might seem, they are fundamentally linked to individual experiences. This is an empowering revelation, especially when combined with the fact that each one of us has the ability to birth and propagate memes. 

We play a core role in socio-cultural evolution. It is something that we partake in during every waking second of our lives, even in sleep sometimes as we play out deeper memetic fantasies. 

This is exactly why a single teacher who treats her students with dignity, provides them with the opportunity to speak their minds, and personalises their learning experiences, can change a student’s life in a more profound manner than any government policy can. 

The students learning under this teacher will not only remember her, but emulate her when it comes to their own children. Learning, for them, will be a life-long endeavour, stemming from genuine curiosity rather than some obligation to hoard information. Such students will ultimately make good leaders and influence the way others perceive their own position in this vast, strange, beautiful and wondrous world.

It’s about the little things, the subtle things that individuals who are bold enough to think and act differently, undertake. Small actions, slight adjustments, and new approaches on a personal level that snowball into cascading evolutionary changes.

Now that you know that evolution is something you can actively participate in, what long-term change will you be seeding through your own simple, subtle yet bold actions?