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06/01/2008 05:54:51 PM · #1 |
hi, just read fantastic article on LiveScience (my favorite web site, with DPC of course :-) ... )
link --> //www.livescience.com/health/080519-humans-help.html
what do you think ? please restrain from US-nonUS thingy, please speak from your POV, thanks ... i think this theme is global and it's not referring only to current issues and happenings |
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06/01/2008 06:44:05 PM · #2 |
the animals that we are / no better no worse than our cousins
recently watched war-photographer, ManufacturedLandscapes , a documentary on Hansel Mieth (been a good couple weeks for documentaries )and paging through images on Shorpy
i think we have no collective conscience that would make us better - so we all default to the lowest amongst us ..
religion does & doesn't help - causes just as much strife as tries to protects us
so we are doomed & very likely will self destruct .. get used to it & be glad "we" lived near the top of the curve -
"O wonder!
How many goodly creatures are there here!
How beauteous mankind is!
O brave new world
That hath such people in't!"
W.S.
(feeling a bit cynical recently ...)
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06/01/2008 07:04:36 PM · #3 |
| The concept of humanity is vastly overrated.. I feel Darwin had it right. The Strong survive and the weak parish. Hense to evolve. |
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06/01/2008 07:16:44 PM · #4 |
Originally posted by coronamv:
I feel Darwin had it right. The Strong survive and the weak parish. Hense to evolve. |
Only in environments where being "strong" is the more adaptable of the two traits... |
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06/01/2008 07:29:36 PM · #5 |
| Well, actually survival of the fittest, meaning the best fitted to the niche, not necessarily the strongest. |
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06/01/2008 07:31:42 PM · #6 |
Originally posted by option:
Originally posted by coronamv:
I feel Darwin had it right. The Strong survive and the weak parish. Hense to evolve. |
Only in environments where being "strong" is the more adaptable of the two traits... |
"strong" is a misrepresentation of natural selction. Instead think "better adapted" |
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06/01/2008 07:43:31 PM · #7 |
| We humans are unique however in having developed the means to greatly suppress the effects that natural selection would otherwise have on us. Our greatest adaptation to our environment lies between our ears, now if only I could find the instruction manual to my brain, maybe I could put it to better use... |
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06/01/2008 07:45:51 PM · #8 |
//www.darwinawards.com/][thumb]//www.darwinawards.com/[/thumb
In a purely darwinian environment, I would have died long ago. [eta] & if not, I'd be killed on my next commute to work!
Message edited by author 2008-06-01 19:54:54. |
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06/01/2008 08:29:54 PM · #9 |
I think for most people, including myself, it is about what is happening in out own backyard.
If a catastrophe happens on the other side of the world, I am not as affected. If it happens near where I live I can relate closer to it.
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06/01/2008 08:33:50 PM · #10 |
Originally posted by coronamv:
The concept of humanity is vastly overrated.. |
I agree, and believe that humanity is taking the 'natural' out of selection.
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06/01/2008 08:57:18 PM · #11 |
This is why Nikon will eventually be the only camera company in existence, it may seem Canon is ahead but I have an inside tip that a coming migration of game birds will shift the balance of power and all the other companies will die off. Yeah... peanuts... lots of them... or birds...
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06/01/2008 09:32:56 PM · #12 |
John Cage, when asked if he thought there was too much suffering in the world: "No, it's precisely the right amount."
The more I thought about it, the better the shoe fit. Even when I had to endure some suffering myself, I found these words to be a consolation.
Message edited by author 2008-06-01 21:33:52. |
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06/01/2008 09:49:48 PM · #13 |
One of the great things about natural selection is that it can be applied to other things like ideas (memes). My favorite example of this evolutionary phenomenon in action happened during the 2004 Tsunami. I'll never forget the story of a tribe that had no casualties because they headed for higher ground before the tsunami came. For generations they passed down a warning in the form of spiritual belief that if the sprits of the land battled against the spirits of the sea then the people should quickly head to higher ground because the sea will fight back and eventually new borders will be drawn between the land and the sea. Now that's an idea that gave their society a definate evolutionary advantage over the modern people around them that day. No genes necessary.
Back to the OP, it is easy not to care so much if you can keep something out of sight/out of mind. Rwanda, for instance, seemed terrible enough when reading and hearing about what was happening in the news. Then there was Hotel Rwanda. When my wife and I saw that movie the reality of the human suffering was truly traumatic and for days afterwards my wife couldn't even talk about it without becomming an emotional wreck. It is amazing the power images have to make a story sink in so deeply that we have no choice but to care deeply. |
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06/02/2008 12:59:06 AM · #14 |
| Strength comes in many shapes and forms. If being the smallest and being able to crawl where no one else can it it happens to save your life then you are the strongest. People commonly mis interpret words for only having one meaning. Thus my original point still stands. If everyone took care of their own then no one would have to help a stranger. If your not able to survive then sorry. I just do not fill empathy or simpathy for those capable but unable to act out of fear or feeble mindedness. If you build on a volcano or below sea level or anywhere that has a frequent and common nature to be volital, and then expect man to make it safe you are living in a fools paradise. Everyone has a choice. Everyone just needs to take responsibility for their own actions |
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06/02/2008 01:13:57 AM · #15 |
Originally posted by coronamv:
People commonly mis interpret words for only having one meaning... |
"theres a sign on the wall, but she wants to be sure, cause you know sometimes words have two meanings..."
i thought id throw a little led zeppelin into the crowd while im here...
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06/02/2008 08:32:43 AM · #16 |
Originally posted by ZeppKash:
Originally posted by coronamv:
The concept of humanity is vastly overrated.. |
I agree, and believe that humanity is taking the 'natural' out of selection. |
This perception is temporary. |
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