> since the alternative is so unthinkable In the scientific parts of the ethnographic record (there is a split in anthro between scientists and non-scientists

> since the alternative is so unthinkable In the scientific parts of the ethnographic record (there is a split in anthro between scientists and non-scientists, see e.g. Napoleon Chagnon[0]; basically, he pointed out that the Yanomamo were breeding themselves for violence and was punished for it) the idea that our M.O. in small-scale societies when encountering outsiders, or when invading other groups, is to kill the men and take the women and children (often as slaves) is not all that controversial. See e.g. http://www.nature.com/articles/nature19758 http://www.nature.com/articles/nature19758 0: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Napoleon_Chagnon https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Napoleon_Chagnon