Abstract
The notion that humanity should steer the future may seem inviting at first, but this paper points out two problems with it. First, it is argued that a society with the kind of features most people would find desirable and would want to “steer” to can only be realized if most of its members share a set of suitable universal values and take these as guidelines for living. Examples of rules that reflect these values are given. Second, it is pointed out that there is a small minority of the population that suffers from certain psychopathological disorders which may help some of its members to rise to the top of society and initiate efforts to "steer" humanity for their own ulterior motives. Starting with Political Ponerology, the work of Andrew Lobaczewski, a mechanism is proposed which describes the process by which the members of that minority rise to the top. The mechanism is called pathoselection. Some indirect evidence is presented that such a mechanisms may already be at work in the United States, though its testability is inherently limited as it requires the psychological testing of individuals at the top of society.
Armin Nikkhah Shirazi