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Re: Warning EVOLUTION Discussed!
E.J. Ford CFS (ford@HAL.FMHI.USF.EDU)
Mon, 21 Feb 1994 10:13:21 -0500
Briefly, I would like to respond to Seeker1's comments on my comments on
adaptiveness.
Seeker1 mentioned that he failed to see the adaptive value of fashion
trends and hobbies, like pet rock ownership or sadomasochism. Clearly,
these things can be explained as wasteful manifestations of human
goofiness. However, they can also be explained as adaptive mechanisms.
Play behavior, even violent play behavior, is hard wired into all the
primates and many of the mammals. Why? It's adaptive. Even seemingly
dangerous behaviors are encouraged from an evolutionary standpoint, just
because it provides the variance needed for selection. Some people
simply choose (for whatever reason) selections that some of us might find
reppellant. Apply cultural relativism.
As for nipple-rings and pacifiers, it offers the wearers a means of
identifying people with similar interests. Most fassion trends are, even
the anarchistic impulses of rebelious fashion plates like punk
rockers or skinheads.
EJ Ford
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