I have never understood the rows that go on about the teaching of evolution in schools.

Both God and the Big Bang are phenomena far beyond our puny understandings. The task of a good teacher surely is to explain these different views in an calm, interesting way and so help encourage children to explore for themselves the wonders of cause and effect, both short-term and long-term, and the philosphical and other arguments swirling around them.

Out-and-out opponents of evolution seem to me to have a hard time explaining why breeding schemes for cows, dogs and horses tend to produce ‘better’ animals. If such a contrived mechanism works when humans run it, surely it is possible to expect something similar to happen naturally?

Our times show a phenomenon unprecedented since Planet Earth was formed, namely part of a species bent on choosing to defy natural processes and thereby drifting towards brisk extinction. Large numbers of people (with Westernised urban chic professionals blazing a trail) who somehow see merit in not propagating their DNA and/or killing their unborn progeny when they do propagate it. 

It does not take a raving Darwinian to work out that people who do not share those values will tend to prevail in a few generations’ time.

That said, even within the decadent West some sub-groups of humans are likely to do well in any competition of the Survival of the Fittest.

Namely fitties.