Evolution Ep6: The Mind's Big Bang (5/6)

[TheYipedo]

If you give me some of your meat, I'll give you some of my fruit..... naughty ancestors.

[HipHopcheerleader]

Wish I had that job eves droppin' for a check

[VandalBuilt]

I did'nt know we spend that much time on gossip.

[DarkBlueHole]

... so.... mudkipz are the driving force of human evolution? XD

[eichael09]

that women has a genius capacity of words, in all her work with signs. she is a great speaker

[Ludde365]

Oh my Darwin, I became so happy at 2:57. Richard Dawkins is so awesome.

[muffinman1]

robin dunmar hasn't thought through his hypothesis. Nowdays we live in an easier environment so we chatter and gossip more. We also live closer to each other and live safer. People 100,000 year back didn't have the social groups as we do. I can see early humans gossiping but not to a great extend like us. So what i mean is that the "data" he has would not match the data of back then.

[Reido2828]

Maybe it just increased to a stronger evolutionary point of language made more complex. Our social structures became more complex and with more understanding of life and death comes more complicated views in conversations.

[MountainDeW06]

I was just thinking about the proportion of social gossiping mentioned here. If those areas he chooses to eavesdrop are populated by the more social of our species, he would miss all the people who sit at home and ruminate about the other things in life. What proportion of people would gossip if the entire human group were analyzed. Also many people tend to speak via the new internet medium, will this lead to a change in the nature of human interaction.

[NWforager]

very true. To eavesdrop likely denotes a casual setting where gossip is the norm. Other cultures may paint a very different picture, even other demographics in our culture. Muffinman points to our ability to have time for this much idle gossip due to our lifestyle. I know many people who can go literally days without idle talk ,still more who find it alien and awkward. Dunmar's 'study' may be at least a little narrow, I agree. I'd like to know the parameters of his study.

[MWcrazyhorse]

wow, never thought I would respond to a 2 year comment! lol. but very good question. you surely have come up with the answer yourself. I have thought about this and yes it is signifikant. on youtube especially one sees the far more colorful pattern of convictions, knowledge and sadly misconspetions. there is no longer an authority in the form of a newscast station or radio show that can utter beliefs and convictions. more or less everyone has acces to a broad audience!

[luvtheheaven5]

@MountainDeW06 Great points!

[FuzzyDuck]

Surprise appearance by Richard Dawkins!

[sn3192]

@FuzzyDuck

not associated to atheism for once^^

[FuzzyDuck]

@sn3192 Well, he's not a professional atheist. He's a scientist, first and foremost.

[aran2666]

i love all of this thanx gravitationalst