Why do we want-and do-so many things that are bad for us? In Mean Genes Terry Burnham and Jay Phelan argue that we need to stop looking to Sigmund Freud for answers and start looking to Charles Darwin. Mean Genes reveals that our struggles for self-improvement are, in fact, battles against our own genes - genes that helped our distant ancestors flourish, but are selfish and out of place in the modern world. Using this evolutionary lens, Mean Genes brilliantly examines the issues that most affect our lives-body image, money, addiction, violence, and relationships, friendship, love, and fidelity-and offers steps to help us lead more satisfying lives.
Why do Yanomamö men risk killing another? Those who do and survive end up with more wives and more babies. In one extensive, long-term study, 137 men were Unokais and 243 were not. The Unokais had, on average, 1.63 wives (polygamy is legal) and 4.91 children. The non-Unokais averaged only 0.63 wives and 1.59 children.
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