Abstract: Our evolved psychology predisposes us to conform, to believe, and to belong. Over thousands of years of cultural evolution, these predispositions have been shaped and extended through the rise of more sophisticated technologies, more organized religions, more expansive empires. But now, for the first time, human nature is driving us towards a future of unprecedented political polarization, deadlier wars, and environmental destruction. This lecture offers a sweeping account of how our evolved biases have shaped humanity’s past and imperil its future. Taking us deep into New Guinea tribes, Libyan militias, Brazilian football fans, and predatory ad agencies, I argue that the tools we once used to manage our biases are breaking down. But it isn’t too late to fix them.

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