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Simon Paynton posted an update 1 month, 2 weeks ago
@popebeanie – I am reading an interesting book called The Human Career by Richard Klein. I picked it up for £3 on Amazon (older 2nd edition). On human culture, it says
Before the emergence of modern people [some time between 200,000-50,000 years ago], the human form and human behavior evolved together slowly, hand in hand. Afterward, fundamental evolutionary change in body form ceased, while behavioral (cultural) evolution accelerated dramatically. The most likely explanation is that the modern human form – or more precisely the modern human brain – permitted the full development of culture in the modern sense and that culture then became the primary means by which people responded to natural selective pressures. As an adaptive mechanism, not only is culture far more malleable than the body, but cultural innovations can accumulate far more rapidly than genetic ones, and this explains how, in a remarkably short time, the human species has transformed itself from a relatively rare, even insignificant large mammal to the dominanat life form on the planet.
To be honest, I don’t read enough, so I’m less informed than I should be. I learn the most from summaries of books, and interviews of authors. I like speculating on how the human form, or at least some physiology could keep evolving to keep pace *somewhat* to our advancing culture. A few examples are gaining lactose tolerance while domesticating cattle, losing fur and gaining sweat glands while learning to fabricate hunting weapons and outrun game on hot days. And I’m guessing that a lot of our physical foibles like ailing feet, hips, and backs didn’t have enough time to adapt via genetic evolution to keep up with the new ways we used our bodies. Although several of our modern ailments are from our unnaturally old ages.
One of the first books I became somewhat familiar with, while not reading it, was Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers. I’ll look up Richard Klein now, thanks!
Actually, probably the biggest eye opener for me as a teenager was watching The Ascent of Man by Jacob Bronowsky, on BBC. And then learning about evolution in biology in 10th grade.
Dang, sorry about talking so much about myself, but I’m learning so much these days from ChatGPT. Of course it’s not always accurate, but it’s still drawing on a vast supply of human knowledge that’s available on the internet. Just a couple days ago, I learned about and was able to learn about and take care of an “epidermoid cyst” without seeing a doctor.
It’s all Human Culture, times 10 now!