[ExI] No need for radical changes in human nature

[Dan]

--- On Fri, 7/3/09, Henrique Moraes Machado <cetico.iconoclasta at gmail.com> wrote:
> Stathis Papaioannou> As for
> changing their brains to make themselves less aggressive, I
> am
> > hopeful that given the ability to make such changes,
> more people would
> > in fact choose to do this rather than make themselves
> more aggressive.
> 
> Our western culture rewards the aggressive. Doesn´t it?
> Once we have this ability to change our brain more
> directly, wouldn't we choose to become more aggressive to
> become more successful? Or will our society change before we
> have that ability? Sincerely I don't see it happening.. 

Only in certain limited contexts.  What usually happens with people who openly use violence in most Western societies is they tend to lose support and face retaliation.  This is even so with legitimate users of violence, such as the police.  Yes, brutal cops often get off, but they don't seem to get promotions and there's a social stigma attached to it, no?

Also, I don't think there's a West/East distinction here -- or it doesn't go the way you think.  But how would one determine this?

Regards,

Dan