NationStates Jolt Archive


De-Evolution?

Balipo
10-11-2005, 15:43
Is it plausible/possible to posit that generally, humanity seems to be slipping backwards toward a caveman mentality?

Sure technology keeps moving along and there are many people who exude intelligence, but in general, this planet is getting screwed by the people who are still saying, "This is mine not yours" and shooting the arses off each other.

Maybe we aren't goingto evolve further, just de-evolve to the point of self-annihilation?
Deep Kimchi
10-11-2005, 15:45
You're under the illusion that evolution means a progression to something better...

It isn't.

It only selects for survival and reproduction - not for anything else.

Note that the dinosaurs survived for 65 million years, and they had brains the size of a tennis ball or smaller.

Intelligence is a fluke.
Kryozerkia
10-11-2005, 15:46
No, I think we've reached the point where the population is at a breaking point and as a means of evolution, those who aren't fit to evolve will resort to caveman like tactics and erode each other's existence, while the remainder of us hide until it's over.
Bolol
10-11-2005, 15:48
Personally, I think the gene pool itself is weakening. Look at all the people who are dependent upon medication to survive (myself included).
The Gehlu
10-11-2005, 15:51
People have been saying the humanity is reverting to our primitive state and becoming more ignorant since we have records. It probably goes fact farther than that. That's just how humanity works. Only problem is, we have the ability to actually destroy the world, and that's fairly new. As far as people go, in the big scheme of things, not much has changed.
Kryozerkia
10-11-2005, 15:51
Personally, I think the gene pool itself is weakening. Look at all the people who are dependent upon medication to survive (myself included).
It's all because of these damn laws that say you can't kill someone just because they are a burden on the medical system and a general waste of life. :D
Smunkeeville
10-11-2005, 15:51
I think we are evolving into just what we need to have to get by, and that isn't much. Technology has provided for laziness and stupidity to become commonplace.


sorry for my cynical attitude, it is barely 9am here and already I have had to deal with my stupid people quota for the day. :mad:
Bolol
10-11-2005, 15:52
It's all because of these damn laws that say you can't kill someone just because they are a burden on the medical system and a general waste of life. :D

Thaaaaaanks....
Kryozerkia
10-11-2005, 15:58
Thaaaaaanks....
I didn't mean you. You're cool; I was just responding to it by being a complete jackass (which is remarkable, since it's men who are usually the only ones capable of such feats).
Dear Bubba
10-11-2005, 16:01
its attitudes like "the elderly and handicapped need to die" that prove de-vatlution is at work in society...
Biotopia
10-11-2005, 16:29
I don't see how you can argue in what direction evolution is travelling based on a mere 10,000 or so years of civlisation and only another 2,000,000 or so years of evolutionary development. ome back in another 10,000,000 perhaps and then we'll talk
Drunk commies deleted
10-11-2005, 16:30
Is it plausible/possible to posit that generally, humanity seems to be slipping backwards toward a caveman mentality?

Sure technology keeps moving along and there are many people who exude intelligence, but in general, this planet is getting screwed by the people who are still saying, "This is mine not yours" and shooting the arses off each other.

Maybe we aren't goingto evolve further, just de-evolve to the point of self-annihilation?
Evolution doesn't guarantee more intelligence or complexity. Some species have evolved to be more simple. For example, there are fish in which the male of the species has evolved to be little more than a tiny parasite on the female's body which occasionally fertilizes her eggs.

Some anglerfish have a unique mating method. Without light, finding a mate is a problem, especially at a time when both individuals are ready to spawn. When scientists first started capturing ceratioid anglerfish, they noticed that all of the specimens were females. These individuals were a few inches in size and almost all of them had what appeared to be parasites attached to them. It turned out that these "parasites" were the males. When a male anglerfish is hatched, he has extremely well developed olfactory organs that detect scents in the water. He has no digestive system. His goal in life is to detect the pheromones that the female anglerfish release. When he finds a female, he bites into her flank which releases an enzyme that digests the skin of his mouth and her body. The two then fuse together, including blood vessels. The male degenerates into nothing more than a pair of gonads that releases sperm when the female releases hormones into the bloodstream that signals she is ready to release her eggs. This is an extreme example of sexual dimorphism. If the male anglerfish doesn't find a female, he dies.
from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angler_fish
Super-power
10-11-2005, 16:37
Well your theory could validate the existance of the Human Instrumentality Project :eek:
Isurus Oxyrinchus
10-11-2005, 16:41
People have been saying the humanity is reverting to our primitive state and becoming more ignorant since we have records. It probably goes fact farther than that. That's just how humanity works. Only problem is, we have the ability to actually destroy the world, and that's fairly new. As far as people go, in the big scheme of things, not much has changed.

Yup, people haven't changed at all. We just have CNN and FoxNews to report globally, 24/7 and more powerful weapons. I predict we will evetualy end up distorying ourselves, along with most of the planet.

Yay us :rolleyes:
The South Islands
10-11-2005, 16:43
Some of us are just tired of the collectivism that has ruled throughout civilization.
Sentmierstonia
10-11-2005, 16:56
This topic is a meaningless topic... There is no evolution, its just a myth. god created us all. God whats wrong with you people! GET IT RIGHT!!!

lol jk. From what I see human evolution and the technological revolution were about the same at the birth of civilization. From there technology has picked up DRASTICALLY, and even had an exponential growth in the 1900's. the thing is humans are evolving that fast, but we sure as hell are growing. All species have a carring compacity. From what i learned, humans is about 15 billion. Its taken us 10,000 years to get half way, but with other dominate animals we should double again in a short span, maybe a thousand years. So, the thing ur saying about like "O the gene pools gunna catch up" or "Why doesn't nature take its toll"... well it is, it will only start to kick in at mayb 2200, which by then i doubt we will even have a planet to rape any more.
Grampus
10-11-2005, 16:59
Is it plausible/possible to posit that generally, humanity seems to be slipping backwards toward a caveman mentality?

Q: Are We Not Men?
A: We Are Devo!
Balipo
10-11-2005, 17:41
Evolution doesn't guarantee more intelligence or complexity. Some species have evolved to be more simple. For example, there are fish in which the male of the species has evolved to be little more than a tiny parasite on the female's body which occasionally fertilizes her eggs.


from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angler_fish

I understand your point. But while evolution says "survival of the fittest" does that mean only the nut-so people running things? They aren't even mentally capable of making their own decisions, yet we are doing our best to preserve them.
Balipo
10-11-2005, 17:44
Q: Are We Not Men?
A: We Are Devo!

I'm a bit surprised that no one said this until now.

I think we are evolving into just what we need to have to get by, and that isn't much. Technology has provided for laziness and stupidity to become commonplace.


sorry for my cynical attitude, it is barely 9am here and already I have had to deal with my stupid people quota for the day.

Are you referring to me? :(
Bolol
10-11-2005, 17:45
I didn't mean you. You're cool; I was just responding to it by being a complete jackass (which is remarkable, since it's men who are usually the only ones capable of such feats).

And that's why I love ya! :fluffle:
Smunkeeville
10-11-2005, 17:46
Are you referring to me? :(
nope;) not even refering to people online at all.

yeah pure RL frustration today.:(
Balipo
10-11-2005, 17:47
I didn't mean you. You're cool; I was just responding to it by being a complete jackass (which is remarkable, since it's men who are usually the only ones capable of such feats).

As a man I know that isn't true. It's just when women act that way, they are called bitches... (j/k)

Although I once heard a man call my neighbor a bastard. Which she kinda is in a way...
Grampus
10-11-2005, 17:47
I'm a bit surprised that no one said this until now.

Kids today, they don't know that they're born. The current world of light entertainment is sadly lacking in beat combos who believe that we are descended from flesh-eating simians and that our ultimate destiny is to return once again to that state.
Drunk commies deleted
10-11-2005, 17:48
I understand your point. But while evolution says "survival of the fittest" does that mean only the nut-so people running things? They aren't even mentally capable of making their own decisions, yet we are doing our best to preserve them.
They're outbreeding you. That makes them more fit.
Balipo
10-11-2005, 17:49
They're outbreeding you. That makes them more fit.

Point taken...
Balipo
10-11-2005, 17:51
Kids today, they don't know that they're born. The current world of light entertainment is sadly lacking in beat combos who believe that we are descended from flesh-eating simians and that our ultimate destiny is to return once again to that state.

And Whitney Houston thought the children were our future...

What have we taught them...how will they lead the way...

I digress...
Grampus
10-11-2005, 17:51
They're outbreeding you. That makes them more fit.

They are only winning if their spawn live to have children of their own. Not that I'm advocating infanticide or anything, but, hey... 'accidents' happen.
Zagat
11-11-2005, 00:49
Aside from the fact that the only direction evolution goes in is 'the direction of evolution', what reason is there to believe that it is accurate to attach such negative connotations to a caveman mentality?

It seems backwards to me to suggest that by growing more individualistic and 'self-orientated', unwilling to share, etc, that this is to become more like people who's subsistence patterns required cooperative sharing. If 'cavemen' couldnt get along and share and act cooperatively to obtain and share resources, I doubt any of us would be here now.