3 ms·

I've been following the state of affairs ever since the very first GWAS on humans was published not too long ago. The studies were a little shocking at first,

I've been following the state of affairs ever since the very first GWAS on humans was published not too long ago. The studies were a little shocking at first, but really it's more surprising to me how much neurotic anxiety people have over the valuable insights in these studies. Insights that, by the way, were first discovered by cavemen in India 10,000 years ago and used it to build the first successful societies by distributing labor fairly based on these exact same brain/body types that just some guy found running a k-means on genomes and MMPI-2 answers. And these societies were pretty successful until they were taken over by people that didn't get it.

kevviiinn 3y ago
Cavemen in India came up with phrenology?
- skim_milk 3y ago
  They discovered that the population is quite diverse but that means everyone has a role in society, and that society couldn't possibly function without the psychological and physical diversity of our species.
  - kevviiinn 3y ago
    You make it sound like that role is predefined by just body type and mind type, it totally ignores environment
blurbleblurble 3y ago
Casteism and racism: bffs
- skim_milk 3y ago
  That would be a British invention.
  - jjtheblunt 3y ago
    Indian castes were a British invention?
    - mikecoles 3y ago
      I too did not realize the caste system was strengthened by the British until the past few weeks. I've only read brief descriptions. One such is here: https://u.osu.edu/cs1100sp21fechtel/2021/02/05/context-research-presentation-british-colonialisms-effect-on-the-india-caste-system-and-the-limitations-it-places-on-the-voices-of-their-people/ https://u.osu.edu/cs1100sp21fechtel/2021/02/05/context-resea...
      - jjtheblunt 3y ago
        thanks
  - blurbleblurble 3y ago
    In this context I'm one of those neurotic angsties you mentioned. Biological determinism and categorical thinking of many sorts really get my goat. Maybe I need to recalibrate my sniffer but I thought I caught some whiffs of this stuff in your first comment. As a "mutt" with some German ancestry, some Jewish ancestry, some colonizer ancestors, some colonized ancestors, some who fled, some who dominated, I've thought long and hard about these topics, about what happened last century. I'm neurotic for good reason. Because there's danger here, especially in being overly confident about any single totalizing framework. I've been told I shouldn't dance because of how I look. But then when I kept dancing anyway, others affirmed me and my rhythm. Who was right? Guess I can relate to this guy: https://youtu.be/XGMIEDlOT_I https://youtu.be/XGMIEDlOT_I The omnigenic model suggests that even when there are observable genetic associations, they're probably very dynamic. Who among us has the wisdom and authority to tell an individual exactly where they belong, where they fit, how they fit, what path to choose? A brand new individual whose genetic combinations and environmental context have never been seen before? A whole new being in an ever-emerging world? Especially in times of upheaval and shifts I believe we need to keep our minds and hearts open. I agree with you that new tools could provide insight and benefit, but there's ridiculous potential for abuse, for rationalizing and normalizing collective habits of domination old and new, for reinforcement of stereotypes and limiting beliefs.

kevviiinn 3y ago

Cavemen in India came up with phrenology?

skim_milk 3y ago
They discovered that the population is quite diverse but that means everyone has a role in society, and that society couldn't possibly function without the psychological and physical diversity of our species.
- kevviiinn 3y ago
  You make it sound like that role is predefined by just body type and mind type, it totally ignores environment

blurbleblurble 3y ago

Casteism and racism: bffs

skim_milk 3y ago
That would be a British invention.
- jjtheblunt 3y ago
  Indian castes were a British invention?
  - mikecoles 3y ago
    I too did not realize the caste system was strengthened by the British until the past few weeks. I've only read brief descriptions. One such is here: https://u.osu.edu/cs1100sp21fechtel/2021/02/05/context-research-presentation-british-colonialisms-effect-on-the-india-caste-system-and-the-limitations-it-places-on-the-voices-of-their-people/ https://u.osu.edu/cs1100sp21fechtel/2021/02/05/context-resea...
    - jjtheblunt 3y ago
      thanks
- blurbleblurble 3y ago
  In this context I'm one of those neurotic angsties you mentioned. Biological determinism and categorical thinking of many sorts really get my goat. Maybe I need to recalibrate my sniffer but I thought I caught some whiffs of this stuff in your first comment. As a "mutt" with some German ancestry, some Jewish ancestry, some colonizer ancestors, some colonized ancestors, some who fled, some who dominated, I've thought long and hard about these topics, about what happened last century. I'm neurotic for good reason. Because there's danger here, especially in being overly confident about any single totalizing framework. I've been told I shouldn't dance because of how I look. But then when I kept dancing anyway, others affirmed me and my rhythm. Who was right? Guess I can relate to this guy: https://youtu.be/XGMIEDlOT_I https://youtu.be/XGMIEDlOT_I The omnigenic model suggests that even when there are observable genetic associations, they're probably very dynamic. Who among us has the wisdom and authority to tell an individual exactly where they belong, where they fit, how they fit, what path to choose? A brand new individual whose genetic combinations and environmental context have never been seen before? A whole new being in an ever-emerging world? Especially in times of upheaval and shifts I believe we need to keep our minds and hearts open. I agree with you that new tools could provide insight and benefit, but there's ridiculous potential for abuse, for rationalizing and normalizing collective habits of domination old and new, for reinforcement of stereotypes and limiting beliefs.