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Author Topic:   Human evolution has ended
Shtop
Junior Member (Idle past 2325 days)
Posts: 30
Joined: 07-19-2007


Message 1 of 3 (422880)
09-18-2007 4:31 PM


For evolution to work, there must be natural selection to promote beneficiary traits.
In my opinion, modern human societies actively prevent natural selection from taking place. Weak members are protected by social security systems, while strong members are working hard, often in highly stressful jobs. As a consequence, successful people tend to have less offspring, often choosing careers above family.
In this context, it is important to think about what is successful in terms of evolution. We generally think of successful people to have wealth and power and such, but if this means they have less offspring, that is not at all successful in evolutionary terms. This guy for example is far more successful at spreading his genes, having no job at all, but having a family of 17.
So, to me it looks like human evolution is no longer driven by natural selection, at least not in the way we would normally expect: Strong, intelligent, ambitious people do not necessarily get to contribute more to the gene pool than the weaker, lazier and slower members of modern society.
What are your thoughts on this?
(I know this sounds terribly elitist, but to quote a sig I’ve read here somewhere:
“If being elitist means not being the dumbest in the room, I’ll be elitist!”)

Replies to this message:
 Message 2 by Shtop, posted 09-18-2007 4:48 PM Shtop has not replied

Shtop
Junior Member (Idle past 2325 days)
Posts: 30
Joined: 07-19-2007


Message 2 of 3 (422886)
09-18-2007 4:48 PM
Reply to: Message 1 by Shtop
09-18-2007 4:31 PM


RAZD has just bumped a thread from 2002 that covers this very subject:
Has human evolution stopped?
Since there is plenty of space left there, I'll take some time to read it and post my thoughts there if I feel the need to.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 1 by Shtop, posted 09-18-2007 4:31 PM Shtop has not replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 3 by AdminWounded, posted 09-18-2007 4:50 PM Shtop has not replied

AdminWounded
Inactive Member


Message 3 of 3 (422888)
09-18-2007 4:50 PM
Reply to: Message 2 by Shtop
09-18-2007 4:48 PM


Nice to see these PNTs resolve themselves.
I'm closing this one down.
TTFN,
AW

This message is a reply to:
 Message 2 by Shtop, posted 09-18-2007 4:48 PM Shtop has not replied

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