Post by Patrick on Mar 1, 2009 14:53:53 GMT
I've written before about whether or not it would be useful to be able to remove the anger gene and someone pointed out that it we didn't have it we might also lose our capacity to fight for injustices served on other people or animals etc.
I wonder therefore if there is a part of the brain that if damaged, through natural selection or just as it is that allows people to see others (if not directly related) as inanimate objects? The same gene seems to become defective in the nicest and most rational human being when they might have to look after an elderly relative for a time - the relative - who might have brought them into the world stops being "a person" and becomes an inanimate object, such is the strain of looking after them.
In it's worst form, this gene leads people to commit crimes against others - For Instance - I've just been reading on the news pages that a 73 year old man who has been seriously injured after an attack by three people, at his home, they then drove off in his car. I'm not thinking here about people who kill - That's another avenue, but simply those where another human being can be thought of as....... well, how do you describe it? A vending machine? Hit it hard enough and out comes your coke?
When I was growing up - like most children I thought cars had feelings. My Dad called our FIAT a stupid Italian Contraption and it never started for him again. Coincidence obviously. If I bump into furniture sometimes I might inadvertently apologise to it. Surely this must be a sign of a normal compassionate nature. Is that what these people are missing? On the other hand, you could get some butch 3' wide by 6' tall bloke who can think of nothing better than a good scrap on a Saturday night who would also knock the block off of anyone who would be cruel to animals.
What a mad convoluted set of electrodes our brains are?
I wonder therefore if there is a part of the brain that if damaged, through natural selection or just as it is that allows people to see others (if not directly related) as inanimate objects? The same gene seems to become defective in the nicest and most rational human being when they might have to look after an elderly relative for a time - the relative - who might have brought them into the world stops being "a person" and becomes an inanimate object, such is the strain of looking after them.
In it's worst form, this gene leads people to commit crimes against others - For Instance - I've just been reading on the news pages that a 73 year old man who has been seriously injured after an attack by three people, at his home, they then drove off in his car. I'm not thinking here about people who kill - That's another avenue, but simply those where another human being can be thought of as....... well, how do you describe it? A vending machine? Hit it hard enough and out comes your coke?
When I was growing up - like most children I thought cars had feelings. My Dad called our FIAT a stupid Italian Contraption and it never started for him again. Coincidence obviously. If I bump into furniture sometimes I might inadvertently apologise to it. Surely this must be a sign of a normal compassionate nature. Is that what these people are missing? On the other hand, you could get some butch 3' wide by 6' tall bloke who can think of nothing better than a good scrap on a Saturday night who would also knock the block off of anyone who would be cruel to animals.
What a mad convoluted set of electrodes our brains are?
A.P.P.S
S C 
