Science Tidbits #4

[Lupine]

According to another website it's the yellow dot right of Earth.



Looks promising.

[RJDiogenes]

So if I'm understanding the chart correctly-- which is a might big "if" -- it's got basically the same type of sun, it's slightly larger, and slightly more distant. That sounds like a Goldilocks planet if ever there was one.

[huggle]

and if ist anything like Earth, it's ruled by criminally stupid ruthless beings and on the brink of destruction. In case it isn't, our own CSR beings will consider it their duty to terraform it in every respect (including the brink of destruction bit).

[RJDiogenes]

Well, that's a bit pessimistic.

Actually, it's probably just infested with single-celled organisms.

[huggle]

very likely. But your average amoeba at least has a higher IQ than the current US President (or the current Bavarian Ministerpresident, for that matter *sigh*)

[RJDiogenes]

Sad, but almost literally true.

[huggle]

we could easily build a virus that infests only people with certain genetic specifications (nothing lethal, but how about a super-headcold virus?). The prob is: which DNA-snipped codes for greed and criminal stupidity?

[RJDiogenes]

We have to identify.... the Politician Gene.

[scottydog]

Speaking of politicians, greed, and power..... the latest science shows us that having power over others causes brain damage. Check out this article.

[huggle]

Interesting. I'd have assumed it to be the other way round: a brain damage causes people to become dictators. Still, it does make sense that those in power provide others with a means to take over their positions. This way it's ensured that no Alpha can stay in his/her role forever but that other and perhaps better suited individuals can rise in rank. For a pack of predators or a herd of deer, for example, it's more advantageous to have a middle-aged strong and moderately experienced leader that is able to adapt than to have a very experienced but old one that isn't flexible anymore in his responses to changes in the pack's or herd's environment.
Also, to a degree it's a failsafe against leaders becoming livelong dictators (though there are exceptions: North Corea, Vatican, Cuba, many Arab countries).

[Lupine]

Yeah there is an argument that correlation doesn't equate to causation.

[RJDiogenes]

Well, there's that old adage that power corrupts. It's not surprising that it would be supported by observation. And, of course, pre-existing conditions, whether it's a mere desire for power or full-fledged sociopathy, would exacerbate the phenomenon-- and, also, it may simply be normal primate behavior, because very often what's a successful strategy in the wild can be considered mental illness in society (e.g. the fight-or-flight syndrome).

But types of government and electoral processes can mitigate the condition. It's certainly an argument for term limits. Unfortunately, assuming that it is derived from normal primate behavior, the process would need to apply to the voters as well as the candidates, because they feed into it. The article notes how underlings feed power-hungry bosses by mimicking and empowering their behavior.

[scottydog]

Reminds me of your heroes blog post, RJ, on The Greatest Power.

[RJDiogenes]

Yes, I definitely believe that it's possible to be incorruptible. It probably goes against biology, but most civilized behavior does.

[scottydog]

So does that mean civilization's only hope is to rid ourselves of our corporeal essence?