The accelerating crisis of fascism, racism, and “dehumanizing” behaviors is more than a product of conscious prejudice or institutional design—it is an emergent, biologically mediated epidemic produced by the interplay of cultural, economic, and societal structures with the human genome and neurobiology (Stringhini et al., 2022; Krieger et al., 2022; Kuzawa & Sweet, 2021). New research in neuroscience and social epigenetics demonstrates that these structural forces shape us at the molecular level, perpetuating patterns of aggression, exclusion, and social unraveling that threaten collective stability (Kuzawa & Sweet, 2021; Krieger et al., 2022).
The Chain of Effect: From Society to Biology to Behavior
Adverse social exposures such as discrimination, poverty, violence, and marginalization leave physical marks on the human genome through mechanisms like DNA methylation and histone modification (Stringhini et al., 2022; Kuzawa & Sweet, 2021). These changes regulate gene expression and alter biological pathways responsible for stress response, emotional reactivity, and kin-bonding—especially during neurodevelopmentally sensitive periods (Stringhini et al., 2022; Krieger et al., 2022). Repeated exposure to such environments calibrates the neural circuits of empathy and social cognition, effectively heightening reactivity and diminishing bonds of attachment and trust (Kuzawa & Sweet, 2021; Krieger et al., 2022).
Over time, these biological effects manifest as defensive aggression, impaired capacity for social connection, and susceptibility to ideologies built on exclusion and domination—such as those evident in racism or fascism (Kuzawa & Sweet, 2021; Krieger et al., 2022). For example, studies now establish that groups chronically subjected to discrimination or insecurity exhibit accelerated epigenetic aging, altered stress responsivity, and intergenerational transmission of risk, well before crisis is visible on the surface (Stringhini et al., 2022; Krieger et al., 2022).
Cultures, Economies, and Societies as Hidden Architects
It is not biology or ancestry but the architecture of society—policies, religions, and economies—that drives this cycle, as structural factors determine the allocation of resources, power, and opportunity (Kuzawa & Sweet, 2021; Stringhini et al., 2022). Whether in historical or present-day settings, social systems manufacture inequality and exclusion, which are then inscribed into biology, perpetuating societal divides, violence, and dysfunction (Kuzawa & Sweet, 2021; Krieger et al., 2022). Epigenetic research makes visible these connections, showing the urgent need to redesign institutions and policies in pursuit of collective well-being (Stringhini et al., 2022).
The Imperative for Systemic Change
Acknowledging the molecular chain of causation fundamentally alters the moral and practical calculus. This is not simply an issue of individual failings, but a hidden, systemic epidemic—one that can only be countered by restructuring cultures, economies, and institutions to promote equity, justice, and shared prosperity for all (Stringhini et al., 2022; Kuzawa & Sweet, 2021; Krieger et al., 2022). Delaying such transformation cements inequality at the level of our genome, risking both biological and civilizational decay.
In sum, our societies shape our biology, and our biology shapes our societies, in an accelerating feedback loop. The evidence is overwhelming—deliberate, collective redesign is not just needed for ethical reasons, but as a matter of survival.
APA References
Krieger, N., Tamayo, A., & Waterman, P. D. (2022). Understanding health inequalities through the lens of social epigenetics. Annual Review of Public Health, 43, 105-129. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-publhealth-052020-105613
Kuzawa, C. W., & Sweet, E. (2021). Systemic racism can get under our skin and into our genes. American Journal of Biological Anthropology, 175(2), 429-437. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.24290
Stringhini, S., Carmeli, C., Jokela, M., Avendaño, M., McCrory, C., & d’Errico, A. (2022). Epigenetic aging and racialized, economic, and environmental adversity. JAMA Network Open, 5(6), e2216161. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.16161