Humanity has survived in spite of itself...NOT because we are superior.
The butchery which has been committed is beyond belief. Staggering... much abated these days, but still evident and dormant just under the most urbane and ‘civilized’ veneer.
Personally, I believe the Christian (New Testament) conception of Mercy, has been the single most significant bar to senseless and wanton killing ... for which there existed NO moral censure in the ancient world.
If left to ‘other’ beliefs… we’d still be robbing, killing and worse with perfect impunity
The way I see it, the greedy power-mongers of the world smartened up. They’re like crime families. They figured out it’s best to avoid a war whenever possible. I think nowadays they fight their battles behind the scenes, and instead of body counts, it’s credits in bank accounts that measures success. I think they’re just more business-like now.