We have a handful of strategies that we use to understand the evolution of humans. It is a difficult art in which we can easily make mistakes. Because of this we tread cautiously: only a tiny fraction more of the steps that are taken aren’t steps backwards. So far we’ve found that the structure of our mind is outward-layered with newer developments built on top of older ones.
In the same way that the newer physical components of our brain rely on the infrastructure of the older ones, so it could be true of our personal experience. It could be that our everyday interactions with each other have as their far far removed base ancient survival mechanisms wholly irrelevant to our modern lives (the terror of birds, our once-predators, comes to mind). Perhaps our decisions in dealing with those we love are secretly influenced by an ancient fear of being swooped up while exposed. Perhaps the strange ability to dwell on a moment and expand from it an overwhelming sense of inspiration, perhaps this is caused by some still extant older infrastructure trying to connect to a now extinct cousin and attempting to use the newer machinery to perform the same function.
When I was a bird I was once, while attempting to court a particularly beautiful female, overwhelmed by the memory of a bizarre and terrifying sound. I had heard it in the human camp: a powerfully loud sound with very little melodic complexity. I flew away terrified, in a state of shock.
On my return I relived the excitement of the original terror by mimicking the sound. I and the particularly beautiful female and a few of the other males who were also attempting to court her flew around up and down and around each other. I cried out the sound and the others tried to mimic me, but could not generate the excitement that my cries did.
by sebastian
In the same way that the newer physical components of our brain rely on the infrastructure of the older ones, so it could be true of our personal experience. It could be that our everyday interactions with each other have as their far far removed base ancient survival mechanisms wholly irrelevant to our modern lives (the terror of birds, our once-predators, comes to mind). Perhaps our decisions in dealing with those we love are secretly influenced by an ancient fear of being swooped up while exposed. Perhaps the strange ability to dwell on a moment and expand from it an overwhelming sense of inspiration, perhaps this is caused by some still extant older infrastructure trying to connect to a now extinct cousin and attempting to use the newer machinery to perform the same function.
When I was a bird I was once, while attempting to court a particularly beautiful female, overwhelmed by the memory of a bizarre and terrifying sound. I had heard it in the human camp: a powerfully loud sound with very little melodic complexity. I flew away terrified, in a state of shock.
On my return I relived the excitement of the original terror by mimicking the sound. I and the particularly beautiful female and a few of the other males who were also attempting to court her flew around up and down and around each other. I cried out the sound and the others tried to mimic me, but could not generate the excitement that my cries did.
by sebastian
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