The Human Swarm: Mark Moffett on his latest book, in conversation with Michael Schindhelm
If a chimpanzee were to venture into the territory of another troop, he would almost certainly be killed. But a citizen of Dresden can roam Hamburg without fear. How is this possible for humans when psychologists claim that the ideal population for peaceful group coexistence is a maximum of 200 people? How do we manage to live together in larger communities?
In his groundbreaking book “What holds us together,” biologist Mark W. Moffett, one of the “rock stars” of American science, combines insights from psychology, sociology, and anthropology to create a penetrating explanation of how man overcomes the centrifugal forces that prevail in the animal kingdom. Central to this is the question of group identity in today’s world, along with changes due to digitalisation and globalisation, which is the same driving force for people whether they reside in Barcelona, Wiedenbrück or even Dresden. Moffett contends that group identity is the key to understanding how societies emerge, persist or ultimately fail and perish. A fascinating perspective on the fundamental questions surrounding living together in the present.
Guest: Mark Moffett, biologist from the USA
Moderation: Michael Schindhelm, Curator of the Dresden Capital of Culture Application
When: 29 April 2019, 6:30 PM
Where: Forum Museum, Military History Museum of the German Armed Forces, Dresden