I have been trying to blog for a while -- but I never have enough motivation to finish my blog posts -- and also.. .who the hell reads and responds to blogs? Not me.
So... I figured I'd post some of this stuff here instead of a blog which I never have published. Perhaps it will help me figure out my ideas better and see if they *really* make as much sense as I think they do when they are inside my head - as opposed to being critically looked at by me while I type them, or others...
http://blastr.com/assets_c/2011/10/ImageWarcraft100611-thumb-550x842-72737.jpg
I thought this picture was very funny.
It also started to make me wonder about how humans will often teach each other, in a nearly altruistic fashion. I know I have learned more grammar on the internet than in school, in addition to more politics, history, and many other things because people want to correct me. But why would they want to do that? What benefit is it to them?
I asked myself that question and came up with an answer that satisfies me.
If you take an evolutionary perspective, which you should as this is a very biology related topic, and look at others who help teach one another, it is often because they are friends, family or share a common interest. I am going to say that the person helping or educating the other person sees them as part of their group or "tribe" if you will.
A stronger "tribe" will increase the over all survival of each individual, making the efforts to teach others selfish. This is exactly how and why birds, or apes will warn their group of a predator, even though at that time it momentarily decreases their chance of survival, but since everyone acts that way, in the end it strengthens the over all fitness of the tribe, and each individual within the group.
Since we humans are so connected with one another, and extremely social, perhaps more so than any other organism, I don't really think we have a single "tribe" like the other animals. Instead we make tribes ourselves. Our family, friends, and "strangers" who have similar interests, such as those you meet on forums, or god forbid tumblr, become part of an individuals tribe or tribes and we are programmed via natural selection to teach them and point other individuals in the correct direction - such as by being an asshole and correcting their grammar, spelling, punctuation, facts, and ideas. Alongside sharing our own ideas.
Also correcting people on grammar and other things seems to give the individual who did so a positive review by their peers. Perhaps this also ties in with my tribe-hypothesis and makes it even less altruistic. Educating a peer within the same "tribe" is not only to increase over all survival but to also show dominance in a tribe. This would increase the individuals sexual reproductive fitness as it shows they are perhaps something like the "Alpha male"?
Humans who do not use strength/force, often use intellect to impress the other sex, and their peers. So I bet that also plays an important part in teaching other individuals of their tribe. Again, other apes, esp. gorillas will fight one another to show dominance, but due to our societies rules - we need to find another way to show our dominance. Many scientists believe we do so via showing off our intelligence or social power.
Another thing is, you generally do not correct strangers of their grammar or ideas - they don't seem to be worth the effort. This coincides well with my tribe-teaching hypothesis, because why would you want to ever help someone not in your tribe? They'd be a competitor for the scarce resources you want for yourself or your tribe... such as jobs, money, social power, or even cheesecake at a party (you'll only show your friends where to get some, screw everyone else at the party who isn't your friend, you don't want them to eat all of your cheesecake! ammiright?)
If you actually read this post, what do you think about that idea? See any sections for improvement or any major flaws? The entire thing could just be gibberish.
Next will be the discussion about my idea that Organisms Do Not Exist. or possibly How Ideas Serve The Same Purpose as DNA & Sexual Reproduction
So... I figured I'd post some of this stuff here instead of a blog which I never have published. Perhaps it will help me figure out my ideas better and see if they *really* make as much sense as I think they do when they are inside my head - as opposed to being critically looked at by me while I type them, or others...
----Group Fitness & Correcting Grammar & Spelling-------
http://blastr.com/assets_c/2011/10/ImageWarcraft100611-thumb-550x842-72737.jpg
I thought this picture was very funny.
It also started to make me wonder about how humans will often teach each other, in a nearly altruistic fashion. I know I have learned more grammar on the internet than in school, in addition to more politics, history, and many other things because people want to correct me. But why would they want to do that? What benefit is it to them?
I asked myself that question and came up with an answer that satisfies me.
If you take an evolutionary perspective, which you should as this is a very biology related topic, and look at others who help teach one another, it is often because they are friends, family or share a common interest. I am going to say that the person helping or educating the other person sees them as part of their group or "tribe" if you will.
A stronger "tribe" will increase the over all survival of each individual, making the efforts to teach others selfish. This is exactly how and why birds, or apes will warn their group of a predator, even though at that time it momentarily decreases their chance of survival, but since everyone acts that way, in the end it strengthens the over all fitness of the tribe, and each individual within the group.
Since we humans are so connected with one another, and extremely social, perhaps more so than any other organism, I don't really think we have a single "tribe" like the other animals. Instead we make tribes ourselves. Our family, friends, and "strangers" who have similar interests, such as those you meet on forums, or god forbid tumblr, become part of an individuals tribe or tribes and we are programmed via natural selection to teach them and point other individuals in the correct direction - such as by being an asshole and correcting their grammar, spelling, punctuation, facts, and ideas. Alongside sharing our own ideas.
Also correcting people on grammar and other things seems to give the individual who did so a positive review by their peers. Perhaps this also ties in with my tribe-hypothesis and makes it even less altruistic. Educating a peer within the same "tribe" is not only to increase over all survival but to also show dominance in a tribe. This would increase the individuals sexual reproductive fitness as it shows they are perhaps something like the "Alpha male"?
Humans who do not use strength/force, often use intellect to impress the other sex, and their peers. So I bet that also plays an important part in teaching other individuals of their tribe. Again, other apes, esp. gorillas will fight one another to show dominance, but due to our societies rules - we need to find another way to show our dominance. Many scientists believe we do so via showing off our intelligence or social power.
Another thing is, you generally do not correct strangers of their grammar or ideas - they don't seem to be worth the effort. This coincides well with my tribe-teaching hypothesis, because why would you want to ever help someone not in your tribe? They'd be a competitor for the scarce resources you want for yourself or your tribe... such as jobs, money, social power, or even cheesecake at a party (you'll only show your friends where to get some, screw everyone else at the party who isn't your friend, you don't want them to eat all of your cheesecake! ammiright?)
If you actually read this post, what do you think about that idea? See any sections for improvement or any major flaws? The entire thing could just be gibberish.
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Next will be the discussion about my idea that Organisms Do Not Exist. or possibly How Ideas Serve The Same Purpose as DNA & Sexual Reproduction



