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We're lucky that we can look at other primates and mammals and see the same patterns.

sjducb 3y ago
Our closest relatives Chimpanzees are patriarchal. Humans are patriarchal. It’s probably genetic. One female can have about 10 babies. Regardless of how powerful she is. One male can father hundreds. The genetic rewards are there for males only. That’s why it’s only males that take crazy risks to get access to hundreds of women.
- BobaFloutist 3y ago
  Our closest relatives Chimpanzees are not particularly close relatives. Most human societies tend to be patriarchal, but some have not been. And who tends to hold positions of power isn't necessarily 1:1 with who tends to take the most risks, in fact, most of our leaders are usually prone to putting themselves in less danger than those they govern.
  - golemotron 3y ago
    Historically they have always been at risk of losing their position. Often that means death or other severe personal cost. Leadership among primates is very risky.
  - sjducb 3y ago
    I’m curious why you bring up the rare cases of matriarchal societies as a way to disprove the general thrust of the argument. The existence of a few matriarchal societies doesn’t disprove my argument that biology makes us patriarchal. If I said Dutch people are taller than Spanish people you wouldn’t start talking about your one tall Spanish friend as a way of disproving my argument. Something is making you clutch at straws to try to disprove the argument that biology causes patriarchy. On the second point. Leaders take risks to get into the leadership position. That’s why the lower ranks are taking huge risks.
BobaFloutist 3y ago
Many mammals are matriarchal. Far more don't exhibit much in terms of gendered differences in leadership whatsoever.
- sjducb 3y ago
  In hominids leadership is linked with male mating success. In most of the other mammals leadership is orthogonal to mating success. For example a pride of lions is a matriarchy. The lionesses are in charge. However there is only one mature male in the pride he mates with all of the lionesses. Other males will take extraordinary risks to kill that male and take his pride.

Our closest relatives Chimpanzees are patriarchal. Humans are patriarchal. It’s probably genetic. One female can have about 10 babies. Regardless of how powerful she is. One male can father hundreds. The genetic rewards are there for males only. That’s why it’s only males that take crazy risks to get access to hundreds of women.

BobaFloutist 3y ago
Our closest relatives Chimpanzees are not particularly close relatives. Most human societies tend to be patriarchal, but some have not been. And who tends to hold positions of power isn't necessarily 1:1 with who tends to take the most risks, in fact, most of our leaders are usually prone to putting themselves in less danger than those they govern.
- golemotron 3y ago
  Historically they have always been at risk of losing their position. Often that means death or other severe personal cost. Leadership among primates is very risky.
- sjducb 3y ago
  I’m curious why you bring up the rare cases of matriarchal societies as a way to disprove the general thrust of the argument. The existence of a few matriarchal societies doesn’t disprove my argument that biology makes us patriarchal. If I said Dutch people are taller than Spanish people you wouldn’t start talking about your one tall Spanish friend as a way of disproving my argument. Something is making you clutch at straws to try to disprove the argument that biology causes patriarchy. On the second point. Leaders take risks to get into the leadership position. That’s why the lower ranks are taking huge risks.

BobaFloutist 3y ago

Many mammals are matriarchal. Far more don't exhibit much in terms of gendered differences in leadership whatsoever.

sjducb 3y ago
In hominids leadership is linked with male mating success. In most of the other mammals leadership is orthogonal to mating success. For example a pride of lions is a matriarchy. The lionesses are in charge. However there is only one mature male in the pride he mates with all of the lionesses. Other males will take extraordinary risks to kill that male and take his pride.