The rule of 10,000 years

My daughter has asked me to write about the rule of 10,000,000 years (or was it 10,000 years? I can't remember), which is the rule I made up when my children were young. She might be surprised to find out that the rule was made up out of studies in science and anthropology, not studies of ancient prophets and seers, but then she might not be surprised. Basically, the rule says that the decisions you make, the way you behave, is profoundly important and will have effects on your descendants for countless generations. I chose 10,000,000 years because it seemed significantly impressive, but for as long as our descendants roam the earth, our impact will be felt in them; they are there because of us. Perhaps we were one small link in a very long chain of ancestors, but there is no long chain, if one link fails.

So, I would say, for example, when she brought home a new boyfriend: I don't want you to worry too much about this choice. It will only effect the next 10,000,000 years. Back to the beginning of life on earth, whether you want to go back to Adam and Eve or a one cell organism, your ancestors went in an unbroken line. Without fail everyone one of them reproduced. We do not know if they were strong, wise, beautiful, plain, but we do know that they reproduced and had offspring. Our hominid ancestors had children, who in turn had children, and in spite of war, greed, famine, storm, and conflict, they managed to keep those fragile and vulnerable (and costly) infants and children safe, fed, and educated (perhaps a simple education, but nonetheless an effective one). I ended by saying: One foolish choice and that lineage that goes back to the beginning of life on earth will end with you.

There is, as I know and she knew, no guarantee. Individuals who were saintly can die without descendants, just as criminals can produce many offspring. The issue, however, is not just having children, it is creating a strategy to influence your children to make careful and thoughtful and yes, wise, choices, and to influence their children to do the same. I call this a dynastic strategy and write about it in my book.

There are, in my mind, many subrules that make up the rule of 10,000,000 years. I have outlined some of them, but basically they probably boil down not only to do unto others, but to a rule that says treat others as if they were close kin. However, I digress and oversimplify. So, Blair, here is the explanation I promised.