Parasitism with Andrew

In this episode of 'It Could Happen Here,' host Andrew Sage, joined by Mia Wong, explores the concept of parasitism as a framework for understanding the evolution of human societies through three historical phases outlined in Samuel Miller McDonald's book 'Progress.' The first phase, 'Heaven' (3000 BCE–1400 CE), is characterized by religiously justified hierarchies, temple complexes, and continuous regional parasitism where city-states and empires extracted resources through divine order. The second phase, 'Nation' (1400–1900), shifts authority from the heavens to earth, marked by the rise of science, human-centered progress, and dispersed parasitism via global trade and industrial exploitation. The third and current phase, 'System' (1900–present), is defined by networked parasitism—extracting energy from fossil fuels, data, labor, and ecosystems through interconnected global systems, corporations, and digital economies. The hosts argue that this system, while appearing omnipotent, is fragile and unsustainable, likening it to a 'paper tiger' due to its systemic incompetence and ecological overreach. They conclude by advocating for alternative, mutually beneficial relationships—commensalistic and mutualistic—between humans and nature, urging listeners to become active agents of change in shaping a more sustainable future.