Foundation and outline of a historical theory of society

After his first great deed of creating history, man now seems to be working on another great deed of equal importance, but perhaps the last: to destroy himself by eliminating the conditions of his existence. Aware of the consequences, he continues to destroy his living environment, to wage war against each other, to pursue his self-destructive passions. In the face of the clamorous contradiction expressed in the characterisation 'they know but do not do', the question arises with compelling force: what are the 'driving forces' and where do they arise, which determine the actions of individuals and groups of people, as well as the functioning of the majority of social institutions, with such force that they ultimately override the motives, the instinct and the discernment of life, as well as the conscious sense of danger, which are essential to the survival of human life. Is there any chance of taming this vexing contradiction?