[ExI] ep thought experiment

[spike at rainier66.com]

-----Original Message-----
From: extropy-chat <extropy-chat-bounces at lists.extropy.org> On Behalf Of
Keith Henson via extropy-chat


>...Actually, the pre human adaptation was probably throwing rocks at lions.
Calvin thinks the "hand axes" that are found over at least two million years
of sediment were thrown like a discus into animals at a water hole.

Hunting with sharpened frisbee, cool.  That is a most interesting concept
for many reasons: it is easy enough to imagine the proto-humans figuring out
how to make them with chipped flint and figuring out how to hurl them with
deadly results.  Reasoning: the bean-em-with-the-fastball approach would
only work on smaller game usually, with the occasional bop on the head for
the bigger stuff, but in general wouldn't be lethal.  A frisbee stone would
produce a gash which would slow the beast enough that it could be caught
with a group working together.

> >...Hikers find a good example of prey (marmots)

>...If you have been following the news lately, this is a good way to get
plague...

Ja, I do not recommend devouring rodents.

snip

>>>...Some traits like status seeking we probably don't want to turn off...

>>.... That depends on the circumstances.  It is easy enough to imagine 
> status seeking as a mixed bag or even a maladaptive trait, depending on
the situation.

>...I mentioned Federal Judges as an example of trading income for status,
but I can't think of other cases where seeking status is maladaptive.
Can you think up examples?

Keith
_______________________________________________


Keith there are pleeeenty of examples of trading income for status, such as
a smart person going into academia rather than research or industry.
Another one I can think of is doing missionary work.  That one is tangled up
with other motives, good old pure selfless altruism is what I would like to
think, but it also raises one's status in a church.  Those who have been
there know the story.  Enlisting in the military is another.  

Doing any kind of volunteer work might be considered giving away free time
or potential income for status (well kinda (that one might be a bit of a
stretch (I can't detect any status I am getting from my school volunteer
stuff (but I have gained insights (and discovered how deep is my well of
patience.)))))

But status seeking is certainly costly in plenty of ways: really expensive
sneakers, rolex watches, high-end cars for instance.

spike