The two mismatches

• Genes and technology. Sexual selection takes time. Like, hundreds of thousands of years you know. Technology on the other hand's been evolving pretty fast, for the last couple of millenia anyway. Especially relevant for this case, thing of all the nice things (like guns) that have made females less dependent on males for resources and protection. Seeking a strong jerk to protect you could have been the smart thing to do back in 'da Stone Age, babe, but that time is long since gone. And you might know it, but your genes don't. Tough. (Ever wondered why girls tend to be friends with nice guys and get fucked by bad guys? Well, think: It's the best way to get protection from both.)
• Social rules and technology. Stoning adulterous women doesn't make sense now that we've got DNA tests.* And as for Delayed Marriage and Abstinence-until-Marriage (or killing baby girls, whatever your fancy), well, you know, since the days of the demographic transition, we've got like, contraception, you know. Pity no one told Bush and his bearded pals, though.

*Oh come on, you get the point even though "we" stopped stoning them a bit earlier than that... And do I really have to point out that I'm not talking justice nor morality here, but reasons, that is, the fact that some practice was introduced at some point in time because it was in someone's rational interest, or rather, for this case, in line with their genetic programming. So don't look at me like this, folks, I didn't write that code.

2007-05-07