The theory of sexual selection contains two parts: intersexual selection (mate choice) and intrasexual selection (competition within each sex. The view in evolutionary psychology is that males compete more fiercely than females in polygynous species like humans. In Male, Female, David Geary says that the primary theory for greater male body strength is female sexual selection pressures causing competition between males. A history of male-male competition is written onto men’s bodies. Greater female selectivity provides not only local incentives for greater competition between males, but appears to have caused males to be adapted for this competition.
Modern day war isn’t only only about male-male competition, of course. Though a lot of socially-harmful behavior throughout history may relate to male competition for status and resources. Female preferences create an incentive for this competition, even if women don’t actually like many of the forms that male competition ends up in (e.g. duels, video games, etc...).
To get even more speculative, I will propose that greater average male systemizing was sexually selected for. It’s probably similar to greater average male aggression: some women find it attractive, many don’t, and probably the main reason males have more of that trait is because they needed it to beat out other males.
It should go without saying that I’m not holding present-day or historical women morally responsible for the effects of their aggregate preferences on men.
Here’s a notion of mine: Knights compete for women by competing with other knights. Troubadours compete for women by getting good at things women like. When troubadours succeed, knights think it’s very unfair.
I could believe in evolutionary overshoot, where male-male competition becomes so reinforcing that it leads to less reproductive success.
These days, we’re living in an evolutionarily weird environment where higher status means fewer offspring. I’m not sure how long this has been going on.
In re upper body strength: How would you tell the difference between sexual selection by women vs. better ability to provide for and defend families?
For what it’s worth, I told my theory that war is actually a scam by older men to get their younger competition out of the way to a man, and he was shocked and annoyed. My theory had completely left out the younger men’s strongly felt motivations. Of course, even if I’m right, that wouldn’t be how things feel to the older men, either.
An alternate theory is that uninhibited young men are apt to be dangerous, and societies develop drastic methods of socializing them.
For what it’s worth, I told my theory that war is actually a scam by older men to get their younger competition out of the way to a man, and he was shocked and annoyed.
Probably not as much as a woman would be if you told her that becoming a soldier is an even worse deal for her than for young men, evolutionarily speaking.
Anyone want to take a crack at evolutionary pressures for nations, and in particular, the pressure to convince people that being soldiers is the one sure way for people without extraordinary talents to do something important with their lives?
Eh, I was asking the same thing last week. Check out the responses I got. That’s why I’m just throwing the warning flag, not saying you’ve committed the error.
I recently read Howard Bloom’s The Lucifer Principle, which heavily relies on the phenomenon you’re referring to but which was criticized for being group selectionist. (He views societies as being superorganisms that can collectively act in ways that further themselves, which results in individuals behaving very much like cells, and having the same tendencies, like gradually dying when they’re not put to use for the rest of the organism, which is how he explains suicidal tendencies.)
Probably not as much as a woman would be if you told her that becoming a soldier is an even worse deal for her than for young men, evolutionarily speaking.
Which would be even worse if you explained why, including the part that involves raping the women in the other tribe when you win and quite possibly killing the existing children.
The theory of sexual selection contains two parts: intersexual selection (mate choice) and intrasexual selection (competition within each sex. The view in evolutionary psychology is that males compete more fiercely than females in polygynous species like humans. In Male, Female, David Geary says that the primary theory for greater male body strength is female sexual selection pressures causing competition between males. A history of male-male competition is written onto men’s bodies. Greater female selectivity provides not only local incentives for greater competition between males, but appears to have caused males to be adapted for this competition.
Modern day war isn’t only only about male-male competition, of course. Though a lot of socially-harmful behavior throughout history may relate to male competition for status and resources. Female preferences create an incentive for this competition, even if women don’t actually like many of the forms that male competition ends up in (e.g. duels, video games, etc...).
To get even more speculative, I will propose that greater average male systemizing was sexually selected for. It’s probably similar to greater average male aggression: some women find it attractive, many don’t, and probably the main reason males have more of that trait is because they needed it to beat out other males.
It should go without saying that I’m not holding present-day or historical women morally responsible for the effects of their aggregate preferences on men.
Here’s a notion of mine: Knights compete for women by competing with other knights. Troubadours compete for women by getting good at things women like. When troubadours succeed, knights think it’s very unfair.
I could believe in evolutionary overshoot, where male-male competition becomes so reinforcing that it leads to less reproductive success.
These days, we’re living in an evolutionarily weird environment where higher status means fewer offspring. I’m not sure how long this has been going on.
In re upper body strength: How would you tell the difference between sexual selection by women vs. better ability to provide for and defend families?
For what it’s worth, I told my theory that war is actually a scam by older men to get their younger competition out of the way to a man, and he was shocked and annoyed. My theory had completely left out the younger men’s strongly felt motivations. Of course, even if I’m right, that wouldn’t be how things feel to the older men, either.
An alternate theory is that uninhibited young men are apt to be dangerous, and societies develop drastic methods of socializing them.
Probably not as much as a woman would be if you told her that becoming a soldier is an even worse deal for her than for young men, evolutionarily speaking.
Anyone want to take a crack at evolutionary pressures for nations, and in particular, the pressure to convince people that being soldiers is the one sure way for people without extraordinary talents to do something important with their lives?
*throws group selection warning flag*
Is group selection problematic when it’s for memes?
Eh, I was asking the same thing last week. Check out the responses I got. That’s why I’m just throwing the warning flag, not saying you’ve committed the error.
I recently read Howard Bloom’s The Lucifer Principle, which heavily relies on the phenomenon you’re referring to but which was criticized for being group selectionist. (He views societies as being superorganisms that can collectively act in ways that further themselves, which results in individuals behaving very much like cells, and having the same tendencies, like gradually dying when they’re not put to use for the rest of the organism, which is how he explains suicidal tendencies.)
Which would be even worse if you explained why, including the part that involves raping the women in the other tribe when you win and quite possibly killing the existing children.