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Feb. 25, 2006 In the Feb. 24th edition of this e-zine, I wrote an article titled "Joining A Tribe Is Instinctive." If that is true, then there are some other important things that are also likely to be true. (Although I can't really prove any of this, it all does seem logical, once you see the ideas.) Because of random mutations in our genes, some people probably have very strong tribal feelings and others weaker ones. The strong tribal urges could explain why extreme cults can recruit so many members, including both the mass suicide cults, and just the harmless secret societies like fraternities or Freemasons. It seems logical that some genetic mutations would lead to charismatic leadership abilities. Animal herds usually have strong leaders, and humans probably have similar behavior patterns. There might even be subtle behavior traits that signal to us "This guy is going to become the leader of our herd." Some people seem to have unusually strong desires to show their power, as well as the ability to impose it, although the rest of us might have only a little bit of this. It could be just a small desire to win a game, or show off our accomplishments, or it might be so intense as to be somewhat crazy. In animals, it is often related to sexual competition and obtaining food, but it could apply to other more abstract things also, such as tribal leadership. If carried to extremes, the power lust could explain "sadistic" behavior. Cats show this with captured mice, teasing them before eating them, although we don't see it so obviously in other animals. There seems to be a small, harmless amount of this in normal human sexual behavior, especially for males. Even females need to demonstrate some power, in disciplining their children, as long as it isn't excessive. Tribes, cults, and whole countries sometimes show these extreme power lusts. Quite possibly it's a weak instinct we got from "survival of the fittest" in our early cave man days, as long as it didn't destroy the whole tribe. It's reasonable that most humans have at least a little bit of this instinct. Similarly, a little bit of "masochism" is often visible in normal female behavior. According to my theoretical scheme of things, this can randomly appear also, showing up in both sexes to various degrees. A small amount of the feeling could cause a tribe to "feel good" when following a strong leader, thus enhancing hunting or military effectiveness. Too much of it could make a suicide cult (or even a single suicide bomber) more likely to actually carry out their crazy behavior. ------------ About the author: Dan Shanefield is a retired engineering prof, who worked at Bell Labs and then at Rutgers University. He wrote the book "Industrial Electronics for Engineers, Chemists, and Technicians". Visit his website or email: shanefield@ieee.org Comment on this article here! ------------ All articles are EXCLUSIVE to Useless-Knowledge.com and are not allowed to be posted on other websites. ARTICLE THIEVES WILL BE PROSECUTED! |
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