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We speculate that in the context of mobile, meritocratic societies, cultural evolutionary processes rooted in our evolved tendencies to imitate successful and p
by nhebb 16y ago
We speculate that in the context of mobile, meritocratic societies, cultural evolutionary processes rooted in our evolved tendencies to imitate successful and prestigious individuals will favor the spread of child-rearing traits that speed up and enhance the development of those particular cognitive and social skills that eventually translate into social and economic success in these populations.
I'm so thankful that I didn't pursue a career that required me to read, write, and possibly take seriously pseudo-intellectual crap like this.
- dingy 16y agoThat's some crafty crappifying. It took me quite some time to translate it back to We speculate that "survival of the fittest" applies to people.
- CWuestefeld 16y agoWell, not quite. I don't think the conclusion applies at the scope of individual people. I think it's saying either that A) Successful behavioral patterns will flourish (which is what Hayek says in The Fatal Conceit, and also reminds me of the ideas of The Selfish Gene); or B) Societies that display successful behavioral patterns will themselves flourish. (or both, of course)
- tbrownaw 16y agoPeople's behavior evolves (independent of people's genetics) to suit the surrounding culture, in cultures that permit people to adopt and benefit from new behaviors (I suppose as opposed to formally stratified cultures that would just beat you down for trying to leave / rise above your station).