Population growth and harmful human lifestyles have pushed Earth's environment to the brink, threatening the future of its inhabitants. Ingrained behaviors will not be changed easily. Author David Louis Sussman spent his career as an international business consultant, advocating for greater awareness of population issues. Through years of experience, he has observed the human condition and its behavioral consequences. Humanity's fundamental condition is the illusion of choice, whereas the reality is a virtual total dependence of our behavioral repertoire on genetic influences, as for any other animal. These behaviors, in civilized society, are responsible for much of the degradation in Earth's environment. Sussman analyzes fundamental issues that must be addressed: Failure to nurture our youth, even though their attitudes and actions will determine the future of live on Earth Emphasis upon rights rather than responsibilities in democracy Sexual repression and its destabilizing consequences Exploitation of mysticism by political and religious operatives The schism between science and philosophy, and the perils of grandstanding environmentalismThe human behavioral repertoire has brought about colossal changes in the planet we inherited-changes for the worse rather than the better. This is not merely an American problem; our behaviors are universally shared. The Cosmic Cancer explains how they are the outgrowth of the fundamental human condition, and the transcendental changes in the level of awareness and our behavioral repertoire that are essential for extended continuation of life on Earth as we know it.