Our “imperfect human ultrasocial system creates openings for change,” write Gowdy & Krall (G&K) in the target article – something that's needed if “our day of reckoning” is to be avoided (sect. 6, para. 5). How to counter that reckoning, the increasing inequality and ecological degradation? Some needed societal structural changes may be promoted through fear experienced by both the 1% and some of the 99% – fear of the lower echelons and of unrest and rioting impacting the higher classes' lives. Some in higher echelons may recognize the injustices but also their relatively safe, isolated existence. Note recent events in Baltimore and other locations over police killings of Blacks (Blinder Reference Blinder2015).

Those widespread demonstrations are an example of resistance, unavailable to the ants, of the lower echelons cohering as a mass, incorporating some of the middle, even the upper class, in their struggles; as often happens in movements. One such movement, “Occupy Wall Street,” can be viewed as largely responsible for creating the conceptualization and national dialogue about the 99% versus the wealthy, powerful 1% and 0.1%. It can be argued that the recent election of a progressive mayor in New York City is largely a consequence of that conceptualizing (Newman Reference Newman2013).

Movements are arising: “Black Lives Matter” has recently garnered national attention, notwithstanding the fact that unarmed black men have been killed by urban police in the past. “Fight for 15” – to create a national minimum wage of $15 per hour –continues, including legislation passed in 14 cities, counties, and states(and Chicago at $13) (Medina & Scheiber Reference Medina and Scheiber2015; National Employment Law Project 2015). More attempts to strengthen unions have arisen, as well as strong, successful attempts to limit their already limited power (Kaufman Reference Kaufman2015; Simmons & Harding Reference Simmons and Harding2013). Social media play positive and negative roles in all of these movements.

Movements and communities are strengthening that counter national or global cultures and looming ecological disasters. Unlike bees, we cannot totally break out of our global community and start anew if conditions require, for example, a population too large for the hive or available resources. Locavores moderate climate change by reducing energy for transportation while promoting local sustainability and avoiding the corporate food chain. Vegetarianism reduces both energy for meat production and cows' methane, a potent greenhouse gas.

Alternative communal groups create shared flower and vegetable gardens, even their own currency (Hallsmith & Lietaer Reference Hallsmith and Lietaer2006). The Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative in Massachusetts (see: www.dsni.org) was ambitiously established to re-invigorate a Black/Hispanic/White community that was overrun with toxic waste, abandoned houses, and divestment by the Boston area banks. The grassroots movement obtained the power of “eminent domain” allowing community control of development and land use; it is a model for visiting national/international community organizers (Medoff & Sklar Reference Medoff and Sklar1994).

“The Village Movement” (see: www.beaconhillvillage.org; www.vtvnetwork.org) is an effort by the increasing proportion of elderly to remain independent: living in their own homes; creating business, social, and entertainment opportunities; and offering mutual assistance and alternative, affordable support services. Over 140 villages operate globally, with more in progress.

Broad inclusiveness remains a difficulty in all of these endeavors, with our strong human propensities towards creating “in-groups” which exclude and often vilify others (Tajfel et al. Reference Tajfel, Billig, Bundy and Flament1971). However, those tendencies for group bonding can also serve our interests well. Encouraging multiculturalism promotes ethnic bonds within the context of the larger social/national group, aiming to promote respect for each other's group, while recognizing the importance of bonding and group identity (Moghaddam Reference Moghaddam2008).

Groups are distinguished in at least the social ants by distinctive body shapes, in humans through culture (Smaldino Reference Smaldino2014, p. 248, as cited by G&K in sect. 2.3, para. 4, of the target article). Yet humans often perceive group differences as innate (Bastian & Haslam Reference Bastian and Haslam2006) – n.b. Nazis – thereby yielding greater credence to those differences, with sometimes deadly effect. This was evident in my community work in Nigeria, where clan membership is a significant aspect of one's self-identity, deriving from the village founders' bloodlines according to each village's patrilineal or matrilineal rules. The strong association of the village land with clan identity and blood line (an innate heritage) can thereby become a lethal combination as competition for land use emerges between different clans (Ristau & Knight Reference Ristau and Knight2008).

It should be recognized that these various movements and communities entail a strong emotional component. Again, human ultrasociality differs from that of insects, although both plants and animals, including insects, do emit hormones to arouse and coordinate certain activities, usually defensive or aggressive (Heil & Ton Reference Heil and Ton2008; Wyatt Reference Wyatt2014).

Now, suppose that instead of the suggested positive developments, the negative predominate. How to deal with too many members at the top of the hierarchy? One could create a new top, with more wealth and power, as is happening now, the 0.1%.

Suppose there was too large a bottom, those economically or otherwise undesirable, lacking skills needed in contemporary society. Such is happening now, with the bottom 97% holding less than half the wealth (Piketty Reference Piketty2014; Stone et al. Reference Stone, Trisi, Sherman and Debot2015). One could eliminate or reduce the impact of the lower echelons. For example, honey bees kill off any remaining drones once the Queen has been inseminated, thereby conserving the colony's winter honey supply. Are the following examples among humans comparable? The Holocaust, whereby the exterminated undesirable inferiors included not only Jews, but also political dissidents, the disabled, and others (Holocaust Encyclopedia 2014); wars, using an army of volunteers with few other viable economic alternatives; low wages, often part-time jobs, whereby workers have several jobs with little energy for anything else, including resistance; Black males imprisoned, with reduced job possibilities from that history (Alexander Reference Alexander2010); and deportation, with some temporary work permits so immigrants can harvest crops, but are not permanent society members. However, these eliminations create societal problems: With insufficient harvesters, food rots in the fields (Asbed & Sellers Reference Asbed and Sellers2013). Imprisonment is expensive, prompting attempts at reducing prison terms (Aos et al. Reference Aos, Miller and Drake2007).

Perhaps a totally different political, social, and economic structure could be created, a goal of Occupy (The People 2010) and other previous movements. ISIL (Islamic State for Iraq and the Levant) can be promulgated as an attempt to give power to the people and to create a “pure” Islamic state, devoid of impure Muslims and despoiled non-Muslims and Westerners. Suicide bombers help the whole to survive. The “selective ‘pull’ of the group,” as G&K put it (sect. 5.3, para. 3) is strong, especially for the poor, strengthened further by emotions and religion. Some high in the hierarchy manipulate. Many, many are killed.

Thus, it seems pertinent to pose the question: Will human ultrasociality survive?