Instincts - good or bad?

[Rain Man]

I think we can all agree that most or all human instincts have good origins. For the past million years, it's been good to have an internal incentive to reproduce, and it's been good to know to avoid snakes and stuff.

But let's face it. We live in a different world now. We spend a lot of time and energy jumping to avoid a belt on the floor at dusk, when the odds are astronomical against it being a poisonous snake. We turn and ogle the rump of the 18 year-old seductress at the mall when, quite honestly, the odds of reproducing with said seductress are essentially zero. We load up on calories in case we can't find food the next day, and barring a Kroger strike, that's probably not going to happen.

The bottom line is that we spend a lot of energy on instinctive behaviors that were designed for wandering the Great Rift Valley, not the Happy Valley Mall.

Should science be working on a way to let us selectively stifle some of our instinctive responses?

[Skip Towne]

You want us to quit ogling rumps?

[CosmicPal]

My gut reaction tells me not to respond.

[Rain Man]

You want us to quit ogling rumps?

Speaking Darwinistically, it's not productive for the married folk. Too much risk with no real chance of reward.

I'll spot that it's pleasurable, but at the same time it carries with it a frustration.

[CosmicPal]

I'll spot that it's pleasurable, but at the same time it carries with it a frustration.

Yeah, like getting your face plastered on the Sex offenders list.

[Skip Towne]

Speaking Darwinistically, it's not productive for the married folk. Too much risk with no real chance of reward.

I'll spot that it's pleasurable, but at the same time it carries with it a frustration.
Pshaw!!! I'm ogling!!!

[Rain Man]

Pshaw!!! I'm ogling!!!


You're single, right? You should ogle. Despite what the rest of us think, you've got an incentive to ogle, because you can actually act upon it if she gives back an accepting grunt or hoot.

Me, I've got no incentive to ogle. An accepting hoot just means that I'll lose my house and my savings account. I'm far better off just staying near the den and protecting it from predators like Jehovah's Witnesses and wolverines.

[Hammock Parties]

Should science be working on a way to let us selectively stifle some of our instinctive responses?

They made a film about this. It's called equilibrium.

[Skip Towne]

You're single, right? You should ogle. Despite what the rest of us think, you've got an incentive to ogle, because you can actually act upon it if she gives back an accepting grunt or hoot.

Me, I've got no incentive to ogle. An accepting hoot just means that I'll lose my house and my savings account. I'm far better off just staying near the den and protecting it from predators like Jehovah's Witnesses and wolverines.
And bears......

[Spicy McHaggis]

You're single, right? You should ogle. Despite what the rest of us think, you've got an incentive to ogle, because you can actually act upon it if she gives back an accepting grunt or hoot.

Can't I just club her over the head and drag her back to my cave?

[cdcox]

I'm far better off just staying near the den and protecting it from predators like Jehovah's Witnesses and wolverines.

You can't even keep someone from stealing your bike or blocking your driveway, how in the heck are you gonna deal with a Jehovah's Witness?

[Simplex3]

Can't I just club her over the head and drag her back to my cave?
Only if you want your mug published on that web site.

[Phobia]

You can't even keep someone from stealing your bike or blocking your driveway, how in the heck are you gonna deal with a Jehovah's Witness?

IIRC, the parker was an old, crippled fellow, too. Nice catch. I'm going to send all my JW's over to Kevin's pad.