Gender discussion

[libodem]

I found on Facebook. It is a chimp study. It was featured on NPR.

. http://www.npr.org/blogs/13.7/2014/03/21/291284344/digging-into-the-roots-of-gender-differences?utm_medium=facebook&utm_source=npr&utm_campaign=nprnews&utm_content=03212014

All I can do is link.

[libodem]

1. Also the comment section

Has some interesting replies. Comments regarding Feminism's influence are several comments down.

[Gormy Cuss]

3. Ah, NPR commenters are a cut above the average unmoderated comment sections.

That was a breath of fresh air.

The nature vs. nurture argument is often lacking any reference to malleability of innate tendencies and as one commenter noted, of epigenetics. This article and comments section was an interesting discussion.

[libodem]

4. It is just so interesting

I went back to look over the new comments this morning. I enjoyed the idea of doing a comparative bonobo study. They are the matriarchal branch of the evolutionary tree. Those chimps are an ornery male dominated branch shaking, poo flinging tribe. But a cousin none the less.

[Feral Child]

2. Fascinating research.

More study is definitely required though.

The ramifications could impact our gender wars.

I can see MRA sympathizers concluding that their theories re: dimorphism are justified by this research and feel empowered thereby.

I'd find that a faulty conclusion. Although I see a definite impact from biology and evolution on our relationship behaviors across genders, I don't think that (in our species) these factors outweigh our ability to modify our behaviors via culture. Put bluntly, we should be better than that.

Likewise, I feel that feminists that discount the role of biological and evolutionary factors in inter-gender behaviors are expecting too much. There are some biological imperatives that can't be over-ridden*, such as reproduction, and to expect that all behaviors can be mandated is naive.

That said, we need to give feminists (as an aggrieved class) the benefit of the doubt in compromises.



I'm still gonna shout "Son of a Bitch" when i whack my thumb with a hammer, though. I guess I'll just have to grant myself an indulgence for that occasional sin.


*There are individual exceptions, of course. My family unit is happily child-free. I'm discussing group behavior, not exceptions.

[libodem]

5. Yep

I don't think we can say either or. A bit of nature and a bit of nurture. I hope we can continue to evolve so that the constructs of male or female behavior are flexible enough to fit all variations of our gender designs. It sure isn't a one size fits all, world.