Why do people do this?

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Why do we as humans care about our families and blood relations so much yet we view 'outsiders' as being like a different species?

At the end of the day we are all humans and that is a very strong bond that we all share.

It's the selfishness of our genes. People would give their own life to save one of their children, or two brothers, or eight cousins, to paraphrase John B. S. Haldane. The greater the amount of shared genes, the more valuable and worth cooperating with people are to us.

But being an aspie, my instincts don't work like they're supposed to. I don't feel much of a connection with anybody, including family members.

Speak for yourself, OP.

I feel much more for my blood relations than I do for others. If someone made me make a choice between one of my children dying and a thousand children who weren't mine dying, I would make the decision to keep my own child alive. Yes, it's selfish but it's just how most people are wired. Parental love is not logical and it's not something that can be really understood until you experience it for yourself.

I care about everybody.

Blood means nothing to me. I don't understand why so many people think they have to put up with horses**t from family members "because they're family." People like that have no idea what family really means.

It is reasonable to care for one's family and relatives because when we're old, ill, or otherwise limited in caring for ourselves, we will all need someone to care for us.

Consider it an investment in your future - be nice to your kids, for example, because they may have to select your nursing home.

I think humans are innately tribal. Often banding together under some common identity which can be family or even a sports team.

moved from Random Discussion to Politics, Philosophy, and Religion

I tend to care more about family members than other people, but I can also feel very sympathetic towards strangers.

("Baba O'Riley" is such a great song...)

I care about my family because they were there for me when i needed them. I know my parents and sister would do anything for me so although its kind of a burden i assume the same responsibility. I was adopted though so that does change things a little.

But at the same time i don't understand why people put up with mean or nasty family members that just hold them back.

But that's not a good basis for a healthy relationship with other family members. The nuclear family also is a rather modern construct. People used to be tribal, these days it's more about family because being nice to everyone just doesn't add up these days. Being nice has become an obligation rather than a real desire to make the world a better place.

This video takes a crack at it.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7AWnfFRc7g[/youtube]

I don't know why others feel a connection with blood... nor do I see this connection to humans. A mass majority of humans are sick creatures that I won't have anything to do with. I suppose that's why people feel a strong connect with blood over the others they don't know.

I feel no connection to any aside for those that own my love and trust through their actions... blood means nothing. I'm not close enough to care about the well being of any live blood relatives >_>

My family are the only people I know who have proven to be reliable, loyal, and unconditionally accepting of me. If it weren't for them I'd most likely be homeless. So that's why I care more about them than the rest of humanity. In a large, competitive society like the USofA, families(as in extended family in the Italian sense)provide a vital support network and safety net.

I beg to differ about what you said about the nuclear family. As a concept it came about in the 17th century.
As a term it was first referred to the OED in 1924 & as a practice it started in the late medieval period.



Source: http://www.aeaweb.org/annual_mtg_papers ... 0_1104.pdf