Steps to an Ecology of Mind: Collected Essays in Anthropology, Psychiatry, Evolution, and Epistemology

Bateson identifies two defining events of the 20th century: the Treaty of Versailles and the emergence of cybernetics. The Treaty of Versailles, with its punitive measures against Germany, broke promises of fairness and fostered moral erosion and psychological damage that culminated in World War II. Bateson argues that the betrayal of President Wilson’s Fourteen Points represents a historical turning point, creating a legacy of distrust and demoralization. Although promised fair treatment in the treaty, Germany was instead subjected to punitive measures, leading not only to growing resentment and a devastating global conflict, but also to a deeper moral and psychological unraveling. This, Bateson contends, infected global relations, perpetuating cycles of distrust akin to a tragic pattern from Greek mythology, that continue to affect subsequent generations.

By contrast, cybernetics, emerging in the mid-20th century, focused on systems, feedback, and relationships, offers tools for understanding and improving interaction across biological, social, and ecological systems. Bateson locates its origins in theories of communication, information, and feedback loops, noting that cybernetics enables a deeper comprehension of organized systems, from biological ecosystems to social structures. He sees in cybernetics the potential to transform humanity’s understanding of control and interaction. However, Bateson also sees the dangers of it, such as the misuse of cybernetic insights in rigid applications like game theory in international politics, which enact destructive rules instead of fostering meaningful change.