“In all social animals, including Man, co-operation and the unity of a group has some foundation in instinct. This is most complete in ants and bees, which apparently are never tempted to anti-social actions and never deviate from devotion to the nest or the hive. Up to a point we may admire this unswerving devotion to public duty, but it has its drawbacks; ants and bees do not produce great works of art, or make scientific discoveries, or found religions teaching that all ants are sisters. Their social life, in fact, is mechanical, precise and static. We are willing that human life shall have an element of turbulence if thereby we can escape such evolutionary stagnation” (Russell, 12).
I agree with Russell, ants and bees are very devoted to their social groups, and they do not hold hostility against one another. If humans were like them, we might not have any conflicts, battles and wars. However, conflict promotes progression, humans produce technological advances through conflicts. For example, we developed sanitary napkins from World War I, although lives of the casualties were definitely worth more than a few technological advances, we cannot deny that evolution requires competition. If we are steady as ants and bees, we will not experience any progression but stagnation.
I agree that evolution requires competition, especially for the development of progress. However, I also believe that it is possible for there to be progress without violent conflict. Russell mentions this point when he suggests fostering healthy outlets for competition. It might be a bit idealistic but I believe it is possible for us to be as peaceful as ants and bees and still advance in today’s world.