Do we still have insticts related to 'natural selection' (or whatever it is)?

Humans are instinct driven animals.
The urge to reproduce.
The aggression towards others and people who intrude one’s personal territory.
The urge to compete with others.
The urge to protect things that look cute (maternal/paternal instincts).
The urge to accumulate possessions.
The rejection/fear of things unknown.

All of it the result of instincts.
The fact is that we never have lost any of our instincts, indeed they still define most of our actions. It is merely Human hubris that makes us believe that we are above instincts, that we have left them behind.

InstiNct. It will be ineteresting to see the responses :).

I think many people will explain all kinds of things in society away by evolutionary urges and such but they can much better be explain via sociology or at least a combination of our biological imprints and sociology. In many ways, evolution moves slower than technology or social norms.

I spelled interesting wrong while correcting you.

Much of what we find physically attractive in each other is loosely related to health and reproductive fitness, and so we certainly do take these factors in to consideration in choosing mates. Even in other domains of social life, like employment, physically attractive people have the edge.

The same thing applies to mental fitness. We value intelligence highly, and tend to support those who have a great deal of it and sideline those who don’t (with some notable exceptions).

Heck, look at Fluther as a simple model of this kind of selection at work. Those who thrive here and are accepted and rewarded by the group are the ones who display intelligence (whether rational, or social) or give signals that they would be a desirable mate. Those who aren’t strong in one of these areas get pushed to the edges.

I think it has more to do with self-esteem and social standing: it’s a lot easier to elevate yourself in the hierarchy by putting down other people than it is to elevate yourself in the hierarchy by actually being a better person.

Even four-year-olds understand this.

Much more of our behavior and personality is genetics-driven than we at first thought.

It’s a misconception that we have some how moved beyond our animal nature and the influences of evolution. I can’t comment on your example, but your animal instincts dominate your life without you even realizing it.

@cwilbur – I would see social standing as motivation to belittle other people, and the ones who succeed are “naturally selected” as leaders. Not that all leaders are this way, hopefully . . . and the fact that “even four-year-olds understand this” gives greater credibility to instinct. If that makes any sense . . .

@shak I don’t think enough people value intelligence highly

If we still operated on the instinct, Of natural selection. We would push all special needs babies off of the crib!

Kids playing in grade school gather with what they feel comfortable.

@Bobbilynn
Not true. Societal rules (laws, ethics, “morality”) prevent most of the time.
In the same way that they prevent rape most of the time. But the underlying instincts still exist, and it shows as some people do act on it and in violation of the rules (rapists)