I'm not saying there's no altruism. I'm just contemplating the possibility that it, as a trait, maybe on its way out from the gene pool. — TheMadFool
N/A. The theory of evolution has an overarching principle all life has to conform to - it' a law which basically states that survival is the name of the game. Given this, everything that living organisms do must, one way or another, go towards ensuring survival. Now explain altruism which, in certain respects, is giving the advntage to one's competitor. — TheMadFool
I would just make the observation that perhaps your, and my, perspective may be skewed by that fact that, as I consciously mentioned in the OP, all of us here seem to be mostly highly nerdy, highly educated, and highly intelligent. Thus, we are in the minority.
I think the majority of people achieve social cohesion through being in a "gang" of guys or girls doing guyish and girlish things. As you say this can lead to excluding people who do not win the genetic lottery of having a traditionally "masculine" or "feminine" body.
My own experiences have been quite Darwinian and being masculine, although also a pleasant novelty, has also been an excellent survival strategy (I can hear you rolling your eyes, and yes - us men do love to come back to Darwinian theories - perhaps too much). — BigThoughtDropper
Yes.Altruism, in the sense of cooperating with and helping others in your tribe would certainly materially benefit the tribe, and thus be a good survival strategy. But today, in our overpopulated world, protecting and sustaining those who cannot contribute or even help themselves is no longer a good survival strategy. The question is whether we should be concerned predominantly about serving the survival imperative, or about appeasing human ethical principles and feelings. — Janus
Increasing awareness, connection, and collaboration -- to what end? For their own sake?The compromises made to our evolutionary defense structures and the steady increase in capacities such as altruism and diversity over millennia suggests that we’re not evolving for survival. We’re evolving to increase awareness, connection and collaboration. — Possibility
Increasing awareness, connection, and collaboration -- to what end? For their own sake? — baker
Oh. So one should set one's hopes on becoming a legend?But unity against overwhelming odds inspires timeless legend. — Possibility
it seems to me all religious teachings could use 21st century update.
Using Sigmund Freud's model of Id-Ego-Superego;
The Id is our survival part
The Superego is our moral part
The Ego is the mediator between the two — TaySan
I don't think the teachings of the Buddhy nor Christ are specifically about survival. They are about a lot of things and they were important for us to evolve to where we are now in history. Yet it seems to me all religious teachings could use 21st century update.
Using Sigmund Freud's model of Id-Ego-Superego;
The Id is our survival part
The Superego is our moral part
The Ego is the mediator between the two
Can you say that you are solely on this internet forum for moral reasons? — TaySan
Until 1958 we educated for independent thinking. That gets you the John Wayne role model. — Athena
I've always been a bit bewildered by the role played by the cowboy in our culture. — Ciceronianus the White
I think those films were exercises in stylization and were never meant to be taken at face value. The height of that stylization were then the Spaghetti Westerns.I know Marion played quite a few of those roles, but it's never seemed to me to be much to aspire to, and I've always been a bit bewildered by the role played by the cowboy in our culture. — Ciceronianus the White
Well, it's the perfect stylised cartoon of mid-century male identity - a rugged individualist who keeps his mouth shut most of the time, can handle himself in a fight and who opened up his nation with just a dream, his bare hands and a Colt. — Tom Storm
Westerns are an excellent example how a genre simply creates it's own separate reality from the actual history. TV and film in Westerns have always just put historical costumes on contemporary people. You can easily notice the differences in Westerns done in the various decades.I think those films were exercises in stylization and were never meant to be taken at face value. The height of that stylization were then the Spaghetti Westerns. — baker
the universe is not the way it is now from a reliance on probability, so I’m quite comfortable striving for a more effective, efficient, sustainable and adaptable minority. — Possibility
Westerns are an integral part of American culture, or at least were once. — ssu
mercan cowboys were also mostly black or Mexican.
Myth making at work again. — Banno
Did that actually stop?In the mid 20th century, most films were artful propaganda pieces — Tom Storm
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