What is evolution:
Evolution is said to happen via natural selection or survival of the fittest. Those best suited to their given environment are seen as more attractive and reproduce in greater numbers.
So those men and women that were best at the key elements needed to survive and reproduce increased in numbers the fastest. This is not just the best hunters and fighters or the best at having lots of healthy children and raising them in the best way. We would have adapted to all aspects of our social lives, diet, exercise and working effectively as a group.
Humans were evolving through the primate stages for millions of years. Throughout this period we would have lived in social groups. Hunting and gathering food and caring for the young. Certain ways of behaving in the social group developed. Sex roles, reproducing, diet and everything else to survive effectively.
To short cut the learning of specific skills after birth many skills were already programmed in from before birth, these are called ‘Instincts’.
A large part of the type of person we would become would be in us from birth. All the instinctive skills plus our physical dispositions. Bigger men better at fighting and defending against rival tribes. Faster leaner and hunting, etc.
The roles of men and women evolved over millions of years and were essential to survival. Instinctive behaviours responsible for the point when aggression was needed, hunting, sex, diet, social interactions and every other aspect of personalities would mean the difference between life and death.
These same instincts still exist in every human today. Modern society plays down or ignores the power of these instinctive drives.
Modern society and instincts
Now with advances in medical care survival of the fittest no longer exists. We no longer evolve or adapt to our surroundings.
Historically well built males and females were seen as attractive because their physical attributes would help with survival. In modern society physical attributes to improve chances of survival are irrelevant.
If we still evolved those with greater mental skills should be seen as more attractive.
Humans are not stuck with outdated instincts living in modern society.
Living in modern society in many ways goes against our instincts.
Socially we are evolved to live in groups. Our instincts make us feel safer when we are amongst friend and family that have our back. People that are willing to fight and defend us. Help when help is necessary, council and see each other through the hard times. For each member of the tribe to survive everyone needed to be at their best so support was necessary.
In the modern work place the focus is on the individual getting ahead. The opposite of social support happens. People often pretend to be interested and supportive when they are not.
This is very hard for our instincts to understand and accept.
In many ways the evolved parts of us are displaced:-
Modern society expects us to repress the instincts that do not fit.
Males evolved over millions of years to defend, hunt and fight. Most of these physical skills are now irrelevant. To be able to express these instinctive drives sports are utilised. These are a way of sublimating the hard wired instincts into other channels that allow expression of these drives.
The caring instincts of women also need expression. Those not able to have children often find a way to care with pets or community work.
We try to be modern and live in the ways modern society dictates but we need admit to our instincts for healthy happy living. We need to understand the part our instincts play, accept them and give them expression. Pretending they don’t exist and suppressing them leads to poor mental health.
Evolved aspects of us:-
Diet:
We are adapted for a certain diet. For millions of years we hunted and foraged for food. This would have been a lot of vegetables, meat and when in season fruit. We would have sometimes had very little to eat so could go a day or two without food. The drive of hunger was evolved to make us forage or hunt for food. There would have been a big delay between feeling hungry and eating. No we just go to the fridge and eat foods our body is not best evolved to digest.
Sex roles:
In modern society roles are much more interchangeable due to physical abilities not being so prevalent.
However instincts still have great influence. Males are still far more aggressive in general and women more caring.
Evolved roles in hunter gatherer times were those of males going out and hunting with women staying in camp caring for children and socialising.
Living Social and supportive groups
We evolved living in groups, extended families and supportive others. Social interaction is key to our happiness. Isolation makes us feel threatened and in danger. Our instincts feel safer when we have trusted people around us to interact with.
Summary:
Humans evolved over millions or years. To survive we adapted to our environments. Men evolved to be stronger, more aggressive, be good at hunting and fighting.
Women evolved to be caring, loving, nurturing, social and supportive.
These roles were essential to survival and over years were born into us as instinctive drives.
In modern society aggressive expression is not acceptable. These instinctive drives have to be repressed and expressed in different ways.
Modern society does not allow or even accept as valid many of these very strong instinctive drives. Individuals feel ashamed and embarrassed by them.
We no longer evolve so our instincts remain the same. Out of place and buried deep down. This can lead to anxiety and depression
By understanding the power and roles of our hard earned instincts we can apease them and move towards better mental health and self understanding.