I've been thinking about this idea for a while now and am happy others are contemplating . I like to think about it in terms of evolution, specifically through the theory of natural selection. I agree with the fact that one primary difference between humanity and the rest of life is our ability to recognize and possibly ammend the situation. The entire problem is that it's not happening. Almost every other living organism reachs some sort of equilibrium in its evolutionary path. There is a pattern of offspring and death that evens out a population and keeps the species in line with its environment.

...Now i know this is going to be a big downer, but think about cancer. A free radical, small cell acutally part of the victims system, pops out disformed, exhibits abnormal behavior. It reproduces voraciously, also bypassing key cell control checkpoints like "if the cell doesn't have proper food supply, it dies". Cancer doesn't do that, it spreads, fucks up the environment, without a second thought. So do we. I think humanity AS A WHOLE is a free radical. If it was mandatory for people to take philosophy, maybe that wouldn't be the case. I emphasize "as a whole" because obviously not everyone is part of the problem, some are trying to fucking hard to make it right, to convince others of making it right. Too few, too late.

EDIT- btw, Bill Hicks is one of the most insightful, truth spitting men of this age.