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The objectives of "your genes" do not have to be your objectives. So you can be rational, but have different goals from what you were "meant" to (for some value
by edanm 11y ago
The objectives of "your genes" do not have to be your objectives. So you can be rational, but have different goals from what you were "meant" to (for some value of the word "meant").
- a3voices 11y agoWell perhaps that is true but then you will experience a lot more mental incongruity. For example, gay and transgendered people have much higher suicide attempt rates. The more you deviate from traditional family values, the unhappier you will likely feel. There is a big correlation I bet.
- edanm 11y agoI don't think what you're saying is true re: mental incongruity. And I don't think your example of gay suicides proves it, as it's hard to know what is the cause (and many people will point out, and I would agree, that there are many other causes of gay suicides, e.g. that our culture is oppressive toward gay people).
- ionised 11y agoTraditional family values as we understand them have not always been how families worked. Traditions can change. Traditions that don't serve you any purpose personally should be discarded.
- nine_k 11y agoTo put in in other words, whatever your (gene-induced) instincts may urge you to do may not be the best strategy to successfully reproduce. Humans are a culture-based species. Helping your culture may be reciprocated by increased chance of your progeny surviving and prospering. Also, cultures (at least microbial ones) with a certain percent of altruists grow faster than cultures without them, even though altruists' genes become less represented: http://www.sciencemag.org/content/323/5911/272.abstract http://www.sciencemag.org/content/323/5911/272.abstract