When we see people who are alone, almost unwillingly, we become sorry for them. Could this empathy be evolutionary in nature? Evolution has shaped us, without knowing, to put passing on our genes as a necessity. Do we pity people who are alone because they will never have that opportunity? No. I don't think evolution would have selected for empathy. Evolutionarily-wise, shouldn't we be happy when someone is alone because then they are not our competition? Why aren't we happy when we see people who are maimed or diseased? Aren't they too, in some ways, not going to prosper as well in this gene driven world? Are people who are lonely, driven to suicide because they will never have that opportunity? With no contribution to the gene pool, taking themselves out of the equation, like some twisted form of kin selection, would allow others to proliferate, no? When disabled, do we become depressed because somewhere, millions of years ago, it was hardwired into us that disabilities were not conducive to prospering? What is the origin of empathy?
Are thoughts of suicide a result of millions of years of gentle manipulation to our genetic material? After all, psychologically imbalanced people who commit suicide are preventing themselves from passing on defective genes (Of course, not all mental diseases are genetically based). Are suicidal instincts therefore, one of nature's ways of tidying up the gene pool?
Don't worry.I am not a psychopath. I realize this is highly insensitive. Obviously, I haven't really thought this through;these were just some thoughts I had today. Please don't take this seriously.
Interesting. I think the first distinction that needs to be made is that the world today is not one focused on the long-term - or even short-term - prospects of our species. There are speculations that we could run out of oil as soon as in 40 years, but very little effective action is being taken. In our selfishness and ignorance, we do not care because we seem infallible; as long as our own cars keep running and we have the money, there is no reason to take action. Okay, now I don't know where I was going with that. But I think it does make sense to have some sort of evolutionary basis for empathy, though perhaps we can also currently "afford" empathy because we need none, and seeing others who elicit empathy makes us subconsciously glad we aren't them. Oh, I think I meant to address "gene-driven world" when I started out, haha. I think there's always a balance between personal interest/success and empathy (capitalism vs. socialism?) that more likely than not tips in favor of self-interest, and that, honestly, people don't think in terms of genetics any more. It's all about me and now.
ReplyDeleteI feel like I've seen research on this sort of thing before, so if you're still interested:
http://greatergood.berkeley.edu/greatergood/archive/2005fallwinter/FallWinter0506_deWaal.pdf
http://discovermagazine.com/2009/oct/19-monkey-see-do-connect/
I just skimmed it, but stuff like that. You know what I mean. :D
Whoa. I should've channeled that energy into Chinese forum posts. -__-
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