Thread:User talk:Nebuchadnezzar/Saw this, thought of you./reply (7)

What a bunch of bunk. 1) the idea that we inherently trend towards distrust or even dislike of our neighbors is not only NOT a logical reason, studies and anthro papers are strongly suggesting the opposite to be true. The larger your circle of friends, as it were, the bigger your selection of mates.  More importantly, you have shared bounty, a chance to trade products you have, the exchange of ideas like new hunting techniques, or new pottery techniques, etc.  Even strangers are not necessarily something you fear at all.  Take so-called 'native' reactions to seeing "white" faces for hte first time.  curiosity and even open embraces.  You clearly are like us, just different.  There is reason to believe the idea of "distrust" does not come until you have things you have worked hard for, like your grains, and a permanent home to store them.  and making a leap from "biological distrust" (if such a thing were to exist), to "Aggressive nationalism, militarism, racism, and the exaggerated fear of immigrants and of all things foreign are modern expressions of what was once a sensible approach to staying alive. " is pure nonsense.

2) Every sperm is sacred? Why?  this assumes a) that the act of sex is done with the intent to procreate, not just have a damned good time, b) that there are no benefits to sex in and of itself.  Like keeping a mate around so he can open cans for you, when they are on too tight, or kill bugs.  c) that we stop having sex when we are pregnant. Riigghhtt...

3) The fear thing really does make sense, but it's not quite so obvious. It's a learned thing in children.  A child approaches the world with open curiosity, and quickly learns that there are two kinds of things.  "helpful" and "harmful".  but we are prey, or at least defenseless, so it is logical to assume we walk around afraid of everything.  or not "afraid", but cautious.  And we all live on stress, cause it's what kept us alive once.