Thousands of years ago, humans formed a society to assist each other-just as elephants, dolphins, and many other less intelligent animals did. That was the idea. But that idea did not materialize, and because of this our society has been a failure. In Civilization, author Anthony Ayala presents a thorough and thoughtful discussion of why society has failed. Born in Havana, Cuba, in 1930, Ayala witnessed firsthand the devastating effects of a failing society-a society that doesn't protect from sudden death or harm at the hands of associates. It is a society that doesn't enhance life and make life longer because of the presence of a powerful, but invisible enemy. In Civilization, Ayala provides an overview of how this invisible enemy affects how civilizations function, why civilization has caused more problems than it has solved, who is responsible for its past failures, and who is responsible for its future breakdown.