Human Relationships

I was not able to view the first YouTube link, so I won't be able to answer questions or reference my blog to that. However, I was able to view the video Evolution Explains Kindness.

I think this video offers a lot of interesting points about the complexity of human behavior and human evolution. I personally think that kindness is the loophole we have found that helps in the preservation of our species as a whole. Many people think that kindness is a weakness, but it has been proven that kindness is a valuable asset to survival and can be genetically passed down through natural selection. So although it may not make sense to help others outside of our gene pool from a Darwinian frame of reference, it does make sense from a humanistic one. Dr. Bloom made a statement that I really understood and felt connected to.

"There's one puzzle that often comes up concerning cases where people risk or sacrifice their life for a stranger. People often refute this concept. They believe it's not Darwinian or evolutionary because we should want to reproduce our own genes. Why would we destroy ourselves to help a stranger who doesn't share our genes? Well, we haven't evolved behaviors. Simple behaviors, behaviors that we choose, aren't the product of evolution. We've evolved brains... brains that think certain ways and have certain inclinations. We've evolved the capacity to think of things that evolution could have never anticipated. Similarly, we've evolved a morality that's small but intrinsic enough to come to the principle of impartiality... understanding that one person's life is just as valuable as another."

This is so important to me because it shows the good in humanity. So often we are overwhelmed with the horrors associated with being human. But this principle shows how humanity can be good. 

Another point Dr. Bloom highlighted was that although humans have an inclination toward bias, we have the capacity to override them. 

We have evolved empathy, understanding, and reason. We are able to use our brains at such a high level that we are able to see past our primitive instincts and look at the greater good. That's such a beautiful concept.

Another aspect of human relationships is that humans are social creatures. We thrive in groups. It makes total sense that we are altruistic toward one another because it benefits us. To live comfortably, safely, and peacefully are the benefits. Humans aren't the only creatures who practice reciprocal altruism, many other species abide by this too. Prey practices altruism with other prey to warn for predators, even when the prey is of different species.