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re: You speak from your own evolutionary position
azstrummer — (archived)

I remember watching a National Geographic special many years ago about a couple of African tribes that had been completely isolated from modern society. It was fascinating watching their customs and survival techniques, none of which I could tell you anything about today. However, the one thing that stuck in my mind was when the two tribes would "go to war". The men would dress all up in fine regalia, paint faces, stick things through their skin and basically line up and taunt one another from a distance. Occassionally one man would become embolden and actually toss a spear and if it hit and killed or injured anyone, the "war" would be over. They were satisfying this macho animalistic genetic trait that you've identified in mankind but had figured out for their own survival that all out warfare wouldn't do anyone any good. The losses could result in their own extinction.

This evolution also has occurred in the most savage of beasts on Earth. Lions, tigers, and other fearsome animals are assured of victory when going against smaller and weaker creatures but often, if challenged by that animal, will bluster and roar and back away. Evolution has taught them that even though they'd win the battle overwhelmingly, even a small cut or wound could fester and eventually shorten their lives.

Modern warfare really makes is ridiculous from a survival sense if we truly allow ourselves to evolve to the next step. There is no perfect battle no matter who "wins" and the harm even to the victor can last for generations. It is purely in keeping with survival skills to defend oneself when attacked but no place in the animal kingdom will you find the concept of a preemptive strike on a suspected enemy a successful or valid tactic.

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