The Beginning

Our present is a culmination of the past. Unless we make a conscious effort to shine a light on our past patterns, our future will continue to repeat itself. Therefore, in order to understand how we got here, we can only look to the past. That is where all the data lies, so let’s dig in.

With all the information and technology at our fingertips, how are we still repeating the past and not changing our future for the better? Let’s shine a light on those things that we think have been kept in the dark, whether intentional or not. We need to start holding each other accountable by facing the truth, which is not always pretty and can often challenge our core beliefs. If it were easy, there would be no lies, deception, or half truths. Which is why we are passionate about protecting truth and innocence, which we believe are lacking in this modern day world.

As a Forensic Accountant and Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE), we fully understand what makes good people do bad things, and furthermore what bad people will do to get what they want. There is a lot to gain from understanding the psychology behind Dr. Donald Cressey Fraud Triangle because it can be applied just about anywhere. It consists of three prongs - financial pressure, perceived opportunity, and rationalization (Fraud 101: What is Fraud?).

So what does this mean? It means that it often takes several things at play in order for someone or something to deviate from their core values, including time. The phrase “out of the blue” is a myth, nothing happens that isn’t a result of a culmination of time and some level of effort. Accountants in general often use the phrase “trust but verify.” We are taught that there are no coincidences and that verification, especially with data, is key.

Then how do we use our superpowers for good? We analyze history, data, and patterns to understand how we got to where we are and where we are going next. Knowledge is power, and we want to use this power to change the future for the better. Wherever possible we will use data from the source, being transparent with where we are obtaining this information. We will look for patterns and trends in sources that can influence the public including media, politicians, social media, and other interests. Above all, we will work to protect truth and innocence at all costs because it’s worth it.

Now back to where we began and history repeating itself, there is a lot to unpack that has been coming up for debate recently that we think is worth taking a look at. We’ve got an economy that could possibly go into another recession, politics creating division, human rights at question (women, minorities, people of color, LBGTQ+, etc.), an ever expanding wealth gap, big corporations and pharma, lobbying, the role of law enforcement and government, homelessness, and a global pandemic, just to name a few. Even in this short list I can see threads tied throughout, with division being a key component, an “Us” vs “Them” mentality. The old adage for there to be a winner there must be a loser. So where does this come from? 

The first thing that comes to mind is the theory of natural selection which was introduced by Charles Darwin in 1859. Charles Darwin theory of evolution also included the idea that animals and humans shared a common ancestry. This of course then inspired Social Darwinist ideas in politics, economics, and literature in the late 19th and early 20th century. Although Darwin’s theory pertained to animals and plants, Social Darwinism applied this theory to human beings, where the strongest would gain power and cultural influence over the weakest. Herbert Spencer, a British philosopher and scientist, coined this the “survival of the fittest.” The irony being that Charles Darwin was an abolitionist and therefore believed in the movement to end slavery up until his death in the late 18th century. (Charles Darwin | Biography, Education, Books, Theory of Evolution, & Facts | Britannica)

What is most interesting to me is that the voyage Darwin took to formulate his theory excluded North America and Asia, and yet it became deeply influential in Western society and thought. To this day you will hear people quoting Darwin’s theory on natural selection but incorrectly tying it to Herbert Spencer's “survival of the fittest.” 

Going one step further, we tie this idea back to animals, claiming human beings to be at the top of the food chain. And yet that is not the influence that is worrisome, it’s the Social Darwinism theory that weak human beings should be depleted and stripped of their culture while strong human beings gain power and cultural influence over them. That is a huge leap in thinking from organisms adapting to their environment and passing down these genetic improvements to human beings perceiving themselves to be superior to other human beings.

Of course an argument could be made that human beings are from all different places around the world, and therefore had to adapt to their environment, passing down those genetic improvements over time. But again, that would look more like nature, where for instance people who live in places where the climate is only hot would adapt to that environment over time and would struggle to adapt or survive in a new environment where the climate is only cold. In a modern world full of technology and comfort, this is hardly the case until you introduce Social Darwinism.

Again for there to be a winner there must be a loser, so in order for there to be “stronger” human beings there must be “weaker” ones. How does one create that imbalance? By perceiving one group to be superior to another, then withholding advances in technology and modern day comfort from the other. We have seen this time and again in all different social constructs, country to country, race to race, sex to sex. In a world where we have several lifetimes of information at our fingertips and are more connected than ever, how is it that the gap between us continues to grow larger and larger? Would it be too simple an answer that those who perceive themselves to be “stronger” continue to rationalize their “survival of the fittest,” and therefore will do anything to not to be knocked off the top of this imaginary food chain. This may in fact be where everything begins…