Looking at Heather Heying and Bret Weinstein’s Book (2020) “A Hunter Gatherer’s Guide to the 21st Century” (Part 9 of 16)

0050 In the normal context of cultural selection3H, the actuality of the authors2H emerges from (and situates) the potential of expertise in biological evolution1H.  That expertise1H covers the natural history of the Homo genus.

The normal context of institutional development3V brings the actuality of podcasting2V into relation with the possibility of addressing people who would otherwise be hunter-gatherers and who are now facing the novel Lebenswelt of the 21stcentury1V.

0051 Here is a picture of the intersection for the cultural evolution that Heying and Weinstein now enter.

Figure 18

0052 The mission statement intimates that we are adapted to survive as hunter-gatherers.  Figuratively, we have “ancient bodies”.  Hunting and gathering describe team endeavors in the Lebenswelt that we evolved in.  Team endeavors?  Surely, no one hunted or gathered on his or her own.

According to Clive Gamble, John Gowlett and Robin Dunbar (in their 2014 book, Thinking Big), hominins evolve in social circles, including family (5), intimates (5), team (15), bands (50) and communities (150).  These social circles play big roles in the Lebenswelt that we evolved in.  Indeed, the German word, “Lebenswelt”, means “living world”.  The German language is ideal for synthesizing words through concatenation.

What does that imply?

Heying and Weinstein are on your team.  So read their book.  Plus, tune into the Darkhorse podcast!

0053 After dealing with theory in chapter one (titled, “The Human Niche”), the authors provide a broad view of all of evolution (chapter two, “A Brief History of the Human Lineage”).  In chapter three (titled, “Ancient Bodies, Modern World”), the authors present the mission of their book.  Our bodies are innate expressions of our DNA.  Yet, our Lebenswelt has radically changed.  It is no longer the Lebenswelt that we evolved in.  Rather, our current Lebensweltincludes a hypernovel postmodern civilization filled with hazards, such as colleges2V that switch from traditional mission statements1H to statements of advocacy1V.

0054 Yes, the postmodern world of the 21st century is a dangerous place.

It is especially hazardous because administrators2H are selected for, rather than faculty2H.

Plus, instructors1H manifest the potential of the appearance of expertise2a, because certification triumphs over… well… dealing with observations and measurements of natural phenomena.  What certification do instructors1H obtain?  Instructors1H are certified to promulgate knowledge about models that are endowed with certitude and supported by certain observations and measurements of social phenomena.  State bureaucracies provide certitude.  Selective observations provide proof that the models are… um… beyond question.

0055 How does instruction work?

Well, it starts with a sales pitch, sort of like that serpent in the garden of Eden telling Eve, who is obviously not aware that the serpent is instructing her, how the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil is beautiful and should be tasty. Oh, did I mention that it will also make Eve wise and, even better, if she eats the fruit right now, if she buys into the narrative, she can be even more powerful than that patriarchal, know-it-all, busy-body, who thinks that He can tell Her what is or is not forbidden?

Talk about hyper-novelty befuddling innate adaptive tendencies.

0056 Our current Lebenswelt is clearly not the same as the Lebenswelt that we evolved in.