3 ms·

Once a person is past child-rearing age, there is little evolutionary advantage for a longer lifespan—so perhaps it's just a trait that hasn't been prioritized

• boringg 3y ago
  Interesting thought.
• TimPC 3y ago
  I think this is clearly false for humans. I think it is unquestionable that kids do better when parents have actively involved grandparents in their lives. Raising a kid without a support network is overwhelming, and even more so in modern culture where so many kids are raised in single-parent homes. If you measure success of a lineage over time, having the grandparents die off before they get grandkids would have significant adverse effects.
  • delecti 3y ago
    Grandparents sure, but great grandparents? Great great grandparents? I think at a certain point additional surviving generations would be either a neutral or even net disadvantageous change for the greater population. Assuming 20 years per generation, there wouldn't be a huge pressure to live longer than 60-70. We clearly didn't evolve to naturally live forever.
  • heresie-dabord 3y ago
    The village/community would be the most successful support model.
• cscurmudgeon 3y ago
  No, not at all. In more advanced social species, there is an evolutionary advantage to older individuals helping their young.