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Re: Pomp and Circumstance
fredk #341961 03/13/11 07:04 PM
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Originally Posted By: fredk
Originally Posted By: wheelz999
Nothing can or will be free in an evil capitalist society involving people that will exploit everything and everyone that it they can.


Fixed. Put people in the mix and there will be exploitation. We are all evil captialists (ie: selfish) at heart.


Ah, social darwinism..... There's no truth to the selfish gene?

There are numerous groups of peoples around the world that live altruistically, like our common ancestors.

Tribes, and mennonites are perfect examples.

Human beings have evolved to the point where we can understand the selfish genes that shaped us. Being conscious of this, every time we do some form of charity work, an altruistic act etc., we are overcoming natural selection.

"Our evolved brains empower us to rebel against our selfish genes"-Richard Dawkins

Call me Huxley grin .


The only reasonable argument for owning a gun is to protect yourself from the police.
Re: Pomp and Circumstance
Ya_basta #341962 03/13/11 07:14 PM
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I highly doubt our common ancestors lived in social Altruism. It is easy to look at the past through rose coloured glasses to pick and choose what we like.

Tribes are an interesting choice of example. Internally very supportive, externally very opportunistic. There is a very clear division of Us and Them and very clear rules for dealing with the two.

Quote:
"Our evolved brains empower us to rebel against our selfish genes"-Richard Dawkins

Hmm... but what do we do with that empowerment. How many people even think about this stuff?

Back to you Huxley.


Fred

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Re: Pomp and Circumstance
fredk #341970 03/13/11 09:10 PM
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Originally Posted By: fredk
I highly doubt our common ancestors lived in social Altruism. It is easy to look at the past through rose coloured glasses to pick and choose what we like.


When I said "common ancestors" I was referring to the ape. Chimpanzees are extremely altruistic and consoling.

Quote:
"Our evolved brains empower us to rebel against our selfish genes"-Richard Dawkins

Originally Posted By: fredk
Hmm... but what do we do with that empowerment. How many people even think about this stuff?


What do we do with that empowerment? We are altruistic, caring etc. That's precisely what Dawkins is saying in that quote.

There's obviously bad people in the world that are empowered in vicious ways, but that has nothing to do with what Dawkins is talking about. This empowerment that he mentions, gives us the capacity to be the exact opposite type of person.

Huxley was just for a laugh BTW, Fred :-). He popped into my head because there was mention of him in a documentary and I watched on Thursday.


The only reasonable argument for owning a gun is to protect yourself from the police.
Re: Pomp and Circumstance
Ya_basta #341975 03/13/11 10:13 PM
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Quote:
When I said "common ancestors" I was referring to the ape. Chimpanzees are extremely altruistic and consoling.

Well, the pedant in me must point out that they are not a common ancestor, and in fact may not be our closes relative.

Chimps are also capable of waging war and have been observed doing so. They are also capable of murder, bribery (food for sex being one form) playing favorites and a number of other not so nice human characteristics. You should check out some of the more recent research. National Geographic did an excellent piece on chimps not long ago.

As to Dawkins, he is not particularly altruistic or charitable toward the 'tribe' antithetical to his own atheist tribe.

What say you now Huxley old chap? wink


Fred

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Blujays1: Spending Fred's money one bottle at a time, no two... Oh crap!
Re: Pomp and Circumstance
Ya_basta #341999 03/14/11 12:46 AM
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Originally Posted By: wheelz999
Chimpanzees are extremely altruistic and consoling.

Within their own clan. They can be quite quite the bastard warriors against chimps from other clans. They also hunt and eat other primates.

I think it's time to stop using other primates as examples to be looked up to, Cam.

Re: Pomp and Circumstance
Ya_basta #342004 03/14/11 01:32 AM
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Cam writes:

When I said "common ancestors" I was referring to the ape. Chimpanzees are extremely altruistic and consoling.

Gee, Cam, no ape (pongidae) is a common ancestor of human beings.

Chimps altruistic and consoling? Yeah, no, they're not. They'll gladly bite your face off and shtupp you up the tuchas.

Huey Newton, freedom fighter? No, murderer.

Che Guevara, freedom fighter? No, a mass murderer.


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Re: Pomp and Circumstance
2x6spds #342014 03/14/11 03:00 AM
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That penguin of yours isn't too kind, himself, 2x6. wink

Re: Pomp and Circumstance
pmbuko #342022 03/14/11 03:25 AM
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Those are trained attack penguins, in case you hadn't noticed.


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Re: Pomp and Circumstance
2x6spds #342023 03/14/11 03:28 AM
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Trained by the Three Stooges?

Re: Pomp and Circumstance
CV #342024 03/14/11 03:30 AM
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You may laugh, but you won't be laughing after you've been flippered.


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