jane
Well-Known Member
Very provocative and convincing book about the genetic origins of human violence (predominantly male) and the prevalence of almost universally patriarchal societies throughout human history. Since reading it I can't help but see our primal chimp-shared ape ancestors being reflected in people's actions all the time. Of course I must now read some counterarguments. I'll let Amazon summarise it for me.
If you harbor a sneaking suspicion that men are a herd of ignoble savages, then this book is for you. Authors Wrangham and Peterson will confirm your instincts. It turns out that hyperviolent social behavior is deeply rooted in male human genes and common among our closest male primate relatives. Rapes, beatings and killings are as much a part of life among the great apes as they are among us. The authors try to conclude on some upbeat notes that ring hollow, but their science reveals much about the dark side of human nature.
The 'hollow upbeat' notes, which I did not find as hollow as this reviewer, relate to some chapters on bonobos, and how their societies differ significantly from humans and chimps.
Hm, sounds interesting and thought-provoking, but I'm always wary of evolution-based arguments. It's very difficult to make them sound anything other than reductive because we are not apes, although we do resemble them genetically.
There are so many different types of violence, even that which is gendered (and there is a gender element to most violence, I'm sure), that I steer clear of anything that uses a social category to make a scientific argument, or a scientific category to make a social claim. It's all filtered through culture, even with the apes, who may not be acting solely out of raw biological instinct themselves.
Obviously, there are instincts involved in all of our behaviour, and even stuff, for me, like thinking babies are cute, or feeling overwhelmingly emotional about the cuteness of babies at certain times of the month -- those have to be in some way biological or instinctive, but they're still filterd through culture. Also, not all women have that.
I'm not gonna comment on the book, though, since I haven't read it, and I'm sure there are a lot of interesting points in it. Does it lay out enough of the caveats, do you think, to be of real benefit?