undefined | Better HN

0 pointssjducb2y ago0 comments

Our closest relatives Chimpanzees are patriarchal. Humans are patriarchal. It’s probably genetic.

One female can have about 10 babies. Regardless of how powerful she is. One male can father hundreds. The genetic rewards are there for males only. That’s why it’s only males that take crazy risks to get access to hundreds of women.

0 comments

BobaFloutist2y ago

Our closest relatives Chimpanzees are not particularly close relatives. Most human societies tend to be patriarchal, but some have not been.

And who tends to hold positions of power isn't necessarily 1:1 with who tends to take the most risks, in fact, most of our leaders are usually prone to putting themselves in less danger than those they govern.

sjducbOP2y ago

I’m curious why you bring up the rare cases of matriarchal societies as a way to disprove the general thrust of the argument. The existence of a few matriarchal societies doesn’t disprove my argument that biology makes us patriarchal.

If I said Dutch people are taller than Spanish people you wouldn’t start talking about your one tall Spanish friend as a way of disproving my argument.

Something is making you clutch at straws to try to disprove the argument that biology causes patriarchy.

On the second point. Leaders take risks to get into the leadership position. That’s why the lower ranks are taking huge risks.

golemotron2y ago

Historically they have always been at risk of losing their position. Often that means death or other severe personal cost. Leadership among primates is very risky.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse