mwengler comments on On manipulating others - Less Wrong

-4 Post author: Jonii 16 June 2013 05:44PM

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Comment author: mwengler 18 June 2013 12:29:58PM 2 points [-]

The entire "selfish gene" concept is that it is the genes that must be selected and therefore the genes that are selfish. If a gene for altruism results in 10X as many humans carrying that gene as humans not carrying that gene, because those humans work better together towards large scale mutual benefit goals, than that gene wins and humans find themselves willing to give up their lives before they have children.

Comment author: Desrtopa 18 June 2013 02:17:52PM 1 point [-]

This is true, but doesn't have any bearing on the context the author of the post was describing. In that case, the gene is still acting in favor of the survival of other bearers of the gene, whereas in the case jonii describes, the gene is acting to sabotage the bearer's social standing to no apparent benefit in terms of propagation.