Human Nature: Egalitarian? Hierarchy in the Forest book review

[@upsilonalpha3982]

This book is reminiscent of "Mutual Aid: A Factor of Evolution" by Peter Kropotkin. There have also been studies of bonobo communities where a despotic leader is removed and the society *transitions* to an egalitarian one.

[@ItHadToBeSaid]

yup, an essential addition to biology

[@JonathanDavisKookaburra]

The book ‘sex at dawn’ examines bonobo behaviour compared to chimps and suggests that like how locusts and grasshoppers are actually different expressions of the same species depending on environmental stressors, we can be more chimp like or bonobo like. The follow up book ‘civilised to death’ is also worth checking out.

[@davidnich3394]

Great clip, thanks for that. I've only read Boehm's earlier paper on this not the book yet, ended up here Googling it . But initially didn't like the idea of reverse dominance, it's still DOMINANCE so doesn't really appeal to my ideology much, interested in dominance free society. Dentan, author of The Semai: A Non-violent People of Malaya, appeals to me more, gave peer review to Boehm's paper, talked about simply "not striving" "going with the flow" as different attitudes entirely, also talked about fleeing, does not involve dominance or reverse dominance. I also think rule of law is a bit non-dominance, and recent mentalizing based therapy for narcissism, (seek to) extends the person, doesn't dominate, restrict them. Reasoning or negotiating with someone also not usually dominance. Still I think there are times when reverse dominance may be necessary, extreme urgent situations like a rampaging murderer. I just might read the book yet.

[@dreamsalamander]

I agree. Indeed who's to say a despot is always a single individual and never the hive mind of a group. Whether hierarchy is accepted or egalitarianism is established, we must push for the highest expression of it, and that's only possible through progress and learning. It seems most examples of egalitarianism come from primitive past examples, or from nomadic tribes, or from autonomous regions trapped in a war economy. The stranglehold of hierarchy everywhere else has yet to give the world a chance to witness the flourishing of a modern, enlightened egalitarianism. I hope to see it one day

[@MendeMaria-ej8bf]

Thank you for another educational video. Much appreciated. ❤

[@richardv.2475]

This is video truly helped me to piece things together. I mean I had some vague ideas that early societies were egalitarian, I also knew stories how the Indians gave the "silent treatment" for those how broke the norm. But the inversion of the power hierarchy is a really intuitive way to think about this, and this explains a lot about politeness and white lies and so on. Personally, I'm surprised that early human comunities were able to coordinate somehing like this at such a large scale.

[@LiquidDemocracyNH]

Imagine studying for years to come to the conclusion that human nature is complicated and nuanced😅

[@sudd3660]

you have the majority of humans that thinks it is all simple and pick the nature that fits their self-serving agenda. that is whom this video is for.

[@clive-live]

Economics, Anthropology and Sociology ~ > The story continues ...

[@SamuelOrjiM]

The flip was caused on my view, by a long period of unintended cooperation that changed the local minima of the models of social procedure in early institutional life. See institutions, institutional change and economic performance by Douglas

[@wiredearth9034]

i love your videos!

[@evanhadkins5532]

Resentment is different to dislike of injustice I think, despite what Nietzsche or Boehm think.

[@SamuelOrjiM]

She's conflating the altruistic and status minded into one group which can't explain the laying down of life for virtue but a lot of this author's work is just rehashing Robert Sapolsky's work to a none bio aware audience

[@dreamsalamander]

What if it's sometimes a cycle? A community that survived a despot, and carries the trauma from that, becomes hyper vigilant against authoritarian individuals; to the extent that even mildly eccentric traits are condemned as despot red flags and results in shunning, even bullying; atypical individuals that survived being ostracised use their unpredictable/out of box capacities to gain power and ultimately establish despotism over the community, thereby continuing the cycle of trauma. I think maybe it's not that between egalitarianism and hierarchism, one is better, but rather we must seek to bring about the most enlightened forms of either. If i was an indigenous in Chiapas, id want to coop with the Zapatistas to safeguard my rights. But if my king was the King of Bhutan, I'd gladly praise the monarchy.. If there's to be a King let it be a truly noble and self sacrificing one, not a tyrant. If there is to be egalitarianism, let it be a Kropotkin utopia not a lynching mob..

[@chassmith6778]

While it's easy to find examples of despotic, grain agricultural communities, there are examples of grain agricultural communities that appear to have been egalitarian (the cucuteni-trypillia culture, the harrapan cities, teiotiuacan, and possibly the lowest levels of uruk and it's neighbors). So grain agriculture is, on its own, an insufficient answer as to what moves human cultures along the spectrum of political control. I'm looking for a fuller theory, but as of yet, I haven't found one.

[@Cloudmountain3033]

Good point. The Igorot culture and other mountain cultures of northern Philippines had egalitarian grain based societies that were managed by selected groups of older / elderly men and women (en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Igorot_people)

[@SamuelOrjiM]

Do you have twitter?

[@UnityFromDiversity]

Hi Authority ≠ Dominance Being hostile to dominance hierarchies does not necessarily mean hostility to authoritarianism and hierarchies and a desire for egalitarianism. Authoritarianism believes in discrimination and cold war, not hot war.

[@ItHadToBeSaid]

Sounds like six of one and half a dozen of another. We should be opposed to both.

[@hidesbehindpseudonym1920]

I want see Ashley try to say an entire sentence in chimp language.😅

[@franksu9735]

The female scientist should watch yakuza films , any low rank member speak over his rank will get punished , no matter what you said is right or wrong , it is disrespect to the Boss and clan .

[@stupideunuchs6513]

Humans are smart phones.

[@SamuelOrjiM]

Not happy about the lack of distinction between altruistic protective wars and exploitative aggressive wars

[@ItHadToBeSaid]

"altruistic protective wars"??