[ExI] yet another ethical dilemma

[PJ Manney]

On Wed, Sep 4, 2013 at 5:14 PM, spike <spike66 at att.net> wrote:
> Look at that a different way.  That thought experiment, if it turned out the same as it did for me, is equivalent to saying your own ancestors were better than average people.  We tend to think highly of our own ancestors.
>
> If so, is it not upsetting to learn that one of our own was an evil bastard?

I'm fascinated that someone can't imagine their ancestors as complete
assholes/psychos/sociopaths.  Everyone has nasty ancestors.  Everyone.
 From an evolutionary bio standpoint (calling Keith!), we're all the
product of rapists and pillagers.

If you were Australian, Spike, you'd brag about how badass your
transported ancestors were.  It's a mark of distinction if your
GGGGdad was a serial killer as opposed to a lowly and all to common
thief.  The worse the crime, the greater the pride...  ;-)

Hell, both my grandfathers were SOBs.  Dad's dad abandoned his two
small boys to their psychotic, drug addicted mother because he
couldn't be bothered and happily never saw them again until they
tracked him down 28 years later.  Mom's dad was a life-of-the-party
alcoholic who charmed the pants off of everyone and never said a
truthful thing in his life and was the ruin of everyone he sunk his
claws into.

That doesn't make me less of a successful and happy person, with a
great family life.  In fact, it's a testament to the malleability of
the human spirit that my parents came from such damaged beginnings and
succeeded on their own terms, together.  They celebrated their 50th
anniversary this April.

Why would you -- or anyone -- care about the bad deeds of someone from
so long ago, just because you share the tiniest bit of genetic
material?  I just don't get it...

PJ