1. seed
  2. How We Get Along

How We Get Along

By milhayser on February 18, 2010.
i-5f262b906f9a4df69427ce47ab6e161d-sharebuzz.jpg

On The Primate Diaries, Eric Michael Johnson writes "not acting our age may be the very reason why we're so successful as a species." Like the bonobo which can be seen unlocking the cage of an unrelated individual just to share food, humans may retain juvenile characteristics that help us to "cooperate and share with others." But while sharing food is laudable, telling the world how drunk you got last night can be a bit less noble. Jonah Lehrer on The Frontal Cortex calls Facebook "a perfect example of too much information" and says that despite technological platforms, "our social lives haven't changed that much since we were hairy apes patrolling the African forest." And Sharon Astyk blurs the lines of genealogy on Casaubon's Book, saying the tribe is due for a comeback as the future makes new demands on our lifestyle. Sharon writes, "sometimes the tribes will be biological in nature. Sometimes they will be mostly chosen. Most often, I think they will be odd intersections of both." So let's get together; here's to one big happy family.

Links below the fold.

Tags
networking
Primates

More like this

Copenhagen Update
Tensions are mounting in Copenhagen over the so-called "Danish text," a draft agreement that would allow developed countries such as the United States and China to emit nearly twice as much carbon per capita as "third world" or developing countries. Meanwhile, scrappy island nation Tuvalu stood…
Inspiring One Another
We inspire each other with our everyday actions and attitudes--monkey see, monkey do. On The Frontal Cortex, Jonah Lehrer describes an experiment in which individuals who observed their peers choosing carrots over cookies were more likely to make the same thoughtful choice themselves. Jonah…
Bonobos and the Child-Like Joy of Sharing
   Bonobos retain juvenile traits related   to tolerance and cooperation.            Image: Vanessa WoodsHow many times as a kid would your parents tell you to grow up and act your age? It turns out that not acting our age may be the very reason why we're so successful as a species. Brian Hare and…
Food for Thought
'Tis the season, time for many of us to eat as much as we swore we wouldn't. But before you cozy up beside the fire with a pound of chocolates and a quart of egg nog, see if these articles won't sate your appetite. First, on Casaubon's Book, Sharon Astyk cites a recent statistic that America…