Natural Selection

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The special Olympics were made for cripples. It's a sad thing to encourage people who have little hope.

In anthropology, there exists a significant literature on this subject with respect to human reproduction and I am only knowledgeable about selection of males by females from there. Most authors see two contradictory forces in the human psyche: 1. females want to select virile males (that is, 'fit' men who will produce good offspring); 2. females want to select males who will remain and build a stable relationship for themselves and their children. A tradeoff exists, in nature, because a male, in an idealised, biological view of the world, would want to inseminate as many females as possible (thus carrying on the survival of their genes) - so becoming monogamous would appear to be a poor game plan, since the cost of having to maintain relationships and care for children is high. Additionally, it is very difficult for males to even be certain that the child is theirs (pre-industrial society) because the human estrus cycle is very different from that of similar primates and, in this view of the world, why would you want to care for a child if it doesn't carry your genes?

Coming back to your point though, does it really matter if you've been 'weeded out'? I mean, really, I figure we've reached a stage in human development where our lives are capable of meaningful achievement beyond reproduction.

The elderly is one segment of the population that is usually marginalized. They need care, can't contribute, and cold logic says they are completely useless.

Yet there is a compassion in society, outside of logic, that allows them to continue to exist.

Biologically "fit" organisms are those who get more of their genetic code to survive into future generations.

The selection pressures for humans have changed with the advance of technology/society. Modern medicine has allowed more people to survive (and reproduce) than in the past.

The whole selection criteria have changed. In the past strength and hunting skill were necessary, now intelligence has a more critical roll.

Intelligence will still be needed when everyone is intelligent.

@MR20- re OP-

You need inspiration from examples. My best advice to you is to do some searches on the web or at the library for people who have overcome great odds to gain happiness. History is full of people who have gained great success with very few advantages. They all had some tools to work with, but none of them (I suspect) gained happiness without trying. Some do gain happiness without doing anything, but wishing you were in that situation will not result in anything but unhappiness on your part. You need to decide what will make you happy, and then figure out if and how you can achieve those things. You do have the computer you are using and the internet. Those tools can give you knowledge, and knowledge is power. I know that many other people today have these tools, but most do not use them to their maximum effect. How many people (mostly in the past) gained success without these tools?

I'm not saying you can achieve the success of someone like Abraham Lincoln, but you might be able to get inspiration from someone like him. Your goals can be much lower. As long as they can make you content. Don't get hung up on this (probably lame) example. It was the first that came to mind. You need to do the research for better examples.

Romantic love is darwinian for the most part. Meaning that if you are at the bottom of the social hierarchy you will very probably not have an attractive mate.

But there are other ways to love and feel loved in return. You can get a pet. You can also adopt a child who needs a home. If I ever get the urge to be a father, that's what I would do.

It could be worse MR... you could be like me. I can't even pin my utter failure at life on low intelligence because I finished college. Yet what am I doing with that degree? Absolutely nothing. I can't get a girlfriend either, and am just generally a screwup. And I can't blame it on anyone else around me because everyone else around me is successful and they generally have a future. It's only me...

Dear gods, -two- of them now. Aspies - useful, intelligent specialists - who think they're absolutely worthless because bullies have convinced them otherwise.

What other people say about you, that you're slow, you're ugly, you're not fit to survive, whatever - BS. You're an piece of iron. A unique piece of iron. You just need to add coal and a smelter.

MR20, just from your typing I can tell you're an intelligent guy who's careful about what he does. ToadOfSteel, you're probably the same.

That's the starting point.

By the way, MR20... Sorry if I draw stuff into here that you posted in one of your two other threads about how much your life sucks.

Guess what, you can change that.

It's going to take a while. It always does. The human body and mind cannot change safely overnight.


If you aren't good at bathing, practice. Take a shower every day (you need to anyways).

Nothing wrong with video games or porn, I spend too much time on that s**t myself (well, video games, I don't spend a lot of time on porn at all, I personally don't care for it much). Doesn't mean I'm a wreck with no life and no hope - well, I hope not; the girl I was with at the movies last night probably disagrees (although to be perfectly honest, that is a very new idea, me going to a movie with a girl).

Since your problem in this thread seems to be others calling you stupid, slow, ugly, and dumb...

Well, first off, I saw your picture in your other thread. I may be straight but I can still judge if a guy is good-looking, and you're above average.

Second, you ain't stupid or dumb, stupid and dumb people don't type like you. Either you're very smart from the beginning and very easily picked up written English, or you're very smart and adaptable - if the latter is the case, you can learn from observation very well. I do that, that's how I wound up fitting into society. I observed the people around me, spent two years of middle school being a crazy little wacko (nearly died of depression more than once during), then began programming social behavior into myself in high school. It worked. It might be harder for you, but if you're adaptive like I am it should work - if you get your head out of your ass and pay attention (no offense intended).

When I say "get your head out of your ass", I mean stop being so self-deprecating. Stop believing that the hate and jealousy (that's what the ugly and dumb insults are, they're jealousy) are the truth. Instead, look at yourself, then look at society. Judge impartially.

Here, I'll do a bit more for ya.

Are you ugly? No, already addressed that. Others call you ugly because they're jealous.

Are you slow? I don't know, I've never met you in real life. But I'll bet you're like most Aspies, and we are indeed slow to pick up on social BS. Is that bad? No, social BS is called social BS for a reason - it's BS.

Are you stupid or dumb? No, you're very well-spoken and that indicates intelligence. I have a feeling you're very, very intelligent indeed. Isn't there a subject you specialise in, like most Aspies? If not, what interests you? Do a bit of searching. Find out.

In the meantime, go take a shower and do those pushups. Whatever society thinks of you, well dammit you can at least make -something- of yourself, right?

Right, trooper, you -can- make something of yourself. Get cracking.

I really, really hate seeing a good person with intelligence and potential go to waste. Call me weird. Just be glad I can't find a drill sergeant to help you out.