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Selfish altruism? - 8/5/2007 5:51:12 AM   
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GEOFFREY MILLER is a man with a theory that, if true, will change the way people think about themselves. His idea is that the human brain is the anthropoid equivalent of the peacock's tail. In other words, it is an organ designed to attract the opposite sex. Of course, brains have many other functions, and the human brain shares those with the brains of other animals. But Dr Miller, who works at the University of New Mexico, thinks that mental processes which are uniquely human, such as language and the ability to make complicated artefacts, evolved originally for sexual display.

One important difference between peacocks' tails and human minds, of course, is that the peahen's accoutrement is a drab affair. No one could say the same of the human female psyche. That, Dr Miller believes, is because people, unlike peafowl, bring up their offspring in families where both sexes are involved in parenting. It thus behoves a man to be as careful about choosing his wife as a woman is about choosing her husband.

http://www.economist.com/science/displayStory.cfm?story_id=9581656&fsrc=nwlgafree

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RE: Selfish altruism? - 8/5/2007 6:03:36 AM   
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In terms of selfish altruism, I'm fairly sure that theory has been around for a good few centuries (Adam Smith), possibly before.

In terms of sex being the governor of the brain, it's a tad subversive and nihilistic. If that's it, then why not just go and fuck everyone, regardless of the consequences? I suppose you could argue that our passions are dampened out of necessity i.e. to avoid lawlessness. I dunno...think I'll stick to self-mastery being the ultimate goal of man.

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RE: Selfish altruism? - 8/5/2007 6:17:50 AM   
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It has been around much longer than that, Northerngent.

Ask any practicing Buddhist.  They wander the world doing altruistic things, yet in the final analysis,
the world and everything in it is simply a distraction.

Things are done because of the way they alter one's emotional and spirutal state.

Selfish altruism.  Yay.

Sinergy

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RE: Selfish altruism? - 8/5/2007 6:20:23 AM   
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Gent, Smith's "invisible hand" was surely one of the first (that I'm aware of, anyway).
 
As for the sex as prime/sole motivator, I'm not entirely convinced of that, despite the what the article says. Self-mastery sounds like a better deal, as you say.

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RE: Selfish altruism? - 8/5/2007 6:40:59 AM   
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Good point, Sinergy. Doing good for others, is doing good for ourselves?

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RE: Selfish altruism? - 8/5/2007 6:56:02 AM   
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quote:

ORIGINAL: Level

Good point, Sinergy. Doing good for others, is doing good for ourselves?


Not really my point, Level.

Others do not really exist to a Buddhist, so how can one do good or evil to something that is (if memory serves) simply a mental construct or distraction designed to keep one from attaining Nirvana.

Yet doing good things for these distractions has positive effects on one's consciousness, and leads one according to their beliefs higher in the cycle of reincarnation.

I am not sure I necessarily agree, but when I studied it years ago it did make a convincing argument.

Sinergy

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RE: Selfish altruism? - 8/5/2007 7:24:29 AM   
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Ah, I appreciate the clarification.

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RE: Selfish altruism? - 8/5/2007 7:33:58 AM   
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So this seems to support the Fruedian theory.

If then Freud was right, then we have the answer to NG's question, why not fuck everybody ? Freud described three facets of the human mind, id, ego and superego.

The id is what you want, or more aptly, your conception of what you want.

The ego is how to get it.

The superego is what not to do, societal or legal restraints and so forth, objectionable actions, somethiung like that.

So you don't grab her by the hair, drag her off and rape her, the superego tells you not to do that because of the consequenses. This has nothing to do with morality.

Instead you woo her and try to win her affections, that is the ego in action. This, by the way is NOT the colloquial definition of ego, as in egotistical, it is meant differently.

But from the id comes the desire.

But what is that deep desire exactly ? Is it based on a desire to reproduce and propogate the species, or is it simply a selfish desire for a pleasurable sexual experience involving more than five fingers ?

I am somewhat well read on psychology, but I never became infatuated with Freud or Jung or anybody so I don't know for sure if Freud was contending that the two desires are one and the same, or are somehow crosswrired in the human mind. I did pickup a few inferences to that, and I think he believed it. And that it is a natural thing, to propogate the species. Make it worth our while. Seems to have worked, just the thing is, did it work the way he said, or is there another theory in operation here ?

Anyway, I must admit that I was fooled by the subject line. Words could have been chosen better I think, but I have no constructive criticism at this time so let it be. I thought it would be about giving money to charities for gains, that people are buying. Allegiance to say the least, for public image and so forth.

Why did Andrew Carnegie give out all that money ? Got his name etched in stone of course, but why the hell bother really. I guess some people consider things like that a form of immortality.

I do believe though, unfortunately, that much altruism today is fake, giving and granting is done mostly for selfish reasons. The truly altruistic don't need publicity. They do exist, but give anonymously or quietly at least. They give because they care about their fellow human beings. Unfortunately that is rare.

For example, why do local utilities advertise on the evening news ? Do you think they just like to propogate good information to the community ? They are buying influence. And big business does it all the time.

By purchasing alot of air time, even on local shows, they buy influence, as well as hedge out the little Man. Let's put it this way, if your local news is sponsored by your local electric company, and said electric company really screws up and kills ten people or something, how do you think they are going to treat that story. Now get this, if the families of the ten people who died wanted to buy some airtime to put up a commercial to bitch about said electric company, it is most likely the they would not be able to afford it.

I don't know if you consider my post a hijack, but before you do consider this : Perhaps this money/power addiction has it's roots in sexuality, as Freud believed I think. If he was right, then a few more things fit together. They would believe that with more money and power they could get a better selection of mates, nicer looking or whatever traits they fancy. Or even more of it, quantity as well as quality.

My longwindedness has gotten me to the point now I am not sure, but the subjects of this study were young no ? I'll have to go look at it again, but for now I say that age has something to do with it.

I think as people age their morality changes, and this might have something to do with it. On average, sexual drive may decrease with advancing age, but one of two things happen. If you are in your late 50s having sex three times a day it doesn't matter. If you are getting it you are no longer looking for it, seeking it, HUNTING it ! You GOT it. Or you could be in your late 50s and be getting less. If you are happy with that fine, but I've known older guys who were still on the prowl. Let's just say that some of them did not impress me with their maturity.

To the OP, if you're down here you read it, I really don't think it was a hijack. And now I have that constructive criticism I couldn't think of earlier : you should've called the thread "Sexual altruism". Other than that, nice topic, nice thread, thanks.

T

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RE: Selfish altruism? - 8/5/2007 7:46:02 AM   
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You're welcome . It was thought-provoking, which is good.

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RE: Selfish altruism? - 8/5/2007 7:47:09 AM   
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I was at this swingers meet and greet thingy last night (first one I ever went to..actually alot of fun)..anyway, this lady walks over to me after a group of us had been talking, and she mentions to me "I really dont care what you look like, but the fact that you are smart is really fucking hot"

And actually alot of people there started discussing that and I was surprised at how many people agreed. Now, I dont really want to discuss how that made me feel about my looks...but I would definantly have to agree that it seems alot of people are more attracted to a mind than a body....

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RE: Selfish altruism? - 8/5/2007 7:52:30 AM   
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Regarding effing everybody, I would if I could but she wont let me.

I think the theory is that Altruism is not really unselfish at all. but always provides rewards of some kind NO?

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RE: Selfish altruism? - 8/5/2007 8:01:56 AM   
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quote:

ORIGINAL: GhitaAmati

I was at this swingers meet and greet thingy last night (first one I ever went to..actually alot of fun)..anyway, this lady walks over to me after a group of us had been talking, and she mentions to me "I really dont care what you look like, but the fact that you are smart is really fucking hot"

And actually alot of people there started discussing that and I was surprised at how many people agreed. Now, I dont really want to discuss how that made me feel about my looks...but I would definantly have to agree that it seems alot of people are more attracted to a mind than a body....


Brains and humor matter hugely.

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Fake the heat and scratch the itch
Skinned up knees and salty lips
Let go it's harder holding on
One more trip and I'll be gone

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RE: Selfish altruism? - 8/5/2007 8:02:56 AM   
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quote:

ORIGINAL: seeksfemslave

Regarding effing everybody, I would if I could but she wont let me.

I think the theory is that Altruism is not really unselfish at all. but always provides rewards of some kind NO?


So it seems, seeks. Quite a bit of truth in it.

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RE: Selfish altruism? - 8/5/2007 8:04:10 AM   
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quote:

ORIGINAL: Level

Brains and humor matter hugely.



When people tell me how funny I am, I usually respond with "Looks aren't everything."

Sinergy

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"There is a fine line between clever and stupid"
David St. Hubbins "This Is Spinal Tap"

"Every so often you let a word or phrase out and you want to catch it and bring it back. You cant do that, it is gone, gone forever." J. Danforth Quayle


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RE: Selfish altruism? - 8/5/2007 8:15:11 AM   
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quote:

ORIGINAL: Sinergy


Things are done because of the way they alter one's emotional and spirutal state.



Sinergy


I agree with that  statement with every fiber of my being

< Message edited by spankmepink11 -- 8/5/2007 8:16:45 AM >

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