Dan Minette wrote:
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Ronn Blankenship" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> To: "Brin-L" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> Sent: Friday, March 01, 2002 7:21 AM
> Subject: Re: evolution
>
> > At 07:04 AM 2/28/02, John D. Giorgis wrote:
> > >At 09:39 PM 2/2/02 -0600 The Fool wrote:
> > > >Large populations:
> > > >
> > > >http://www.observer.co.uk/international/story/0,6903,644002,00.html
> > > >
> > >
> > >Something jumped out at me from this article:
> > >"For example, the biologist Christopher Wills, of the University of
> > >California, San Diego, argues that ideas are now driving our evolution.
> > >'There is a premium on sharpness of mind and the ability to accumulate
> > >money. Such people tend to have more children and have a better chance of
> > >survival,' he says. In other words, intellect - the defining
> characteristic
> > >of our species - is still driving our evolution. "
> > >
> > >Actually, I would argue the opposite - very intelligent and rich families
> > >are more likely to use contraception and thus limit their number of
> births.
> > > For example, anecdotally speaking, it seems to me that childless
> couples
> > >are almost always fairly wealthy and intelligent couples. Indeed, when
> > >one thinks of a "power couple" one tends to think of the family having
> one
> > >child or maybe two. Large families - with five or more children,
> > >however, I tend to almost always associate with families working in
> middle
> > >class and lower middle class professions.
> > >
> > >So, is this "contraception differential" going to affect human evolution?
> >
> >
> >
> > Anyone recall "The Marching Morons"?
> >
>
> Isn't that the Aggie band?
>
> OK, that's Marching Maroon Morons, nevermind.
I was actually dating one of them at one point. He was actually one of
the brightest guys I'd met outside of programs designed to throw a whole
bunch of bright kids together, but he had a major math phobia. He ended
up finally getting his degree at UT (probably to his father's disgust)
in something like political science. But before all that, before I
broke up with him, I saw a football game at A & M, and that was an
interesting experience, not one that I'd recommend to some folks. He
quit the band before the breakup, so that wasn't the motivating factor,
in case anyone was wondering. :)
Julia
