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Evo psych: And now, the germ theory of culture

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File:Cholera bacteria SEM.jpg
cholera/Dartmouth

Further to theories of culture, you may never have heard of the germ theory of culture. Don’t blame your teachers. They did you no wrong. Here it is, “The Germ Theory of Democracy, Dictatorship, and All Your Most Cherished Beliefs” by Ethan Watters:

If they are right, Thornhill and his colleagues may be on their way to unlocking some of the most stubborn mysteries of human behavior. Their theory may help explain why authoritarian governments tend to persist in certain latitudes while democracies rise in others; why some cultures are xenophobic and others are relatively open to strangers; why certain peoples value equality and individuality while others prize hierarchical structures and strict adherence to tradition. What’s more, their work may offer a clear insight into how societies change. According to Thornhill’s findings, striking at the root of infectious disease threats is by far the most effective form of social engineering available to any would-be reformer.

If you were looking for a paradigm-shifting theory about human behavior, step right up. “Once we started looking for evidence that pathogens shape culture,” Thornhill told me, “we began to find it in damn near every place we looked.”

Indeed. That’s the best reason for doubting their theory. A theory worth considering only attempts to explain a specific set of circumstances, not human history. There probably is no single explanation why Canada, Japan, and Jamaica are democracies in some meaningful sense that Belarus, North Korea, and Eritrea are not.  If there were, it wouldn’t likely be germs.

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Comments
There is a single explanation for why some peoples have better governments then others. its because they are more intelligent. Democracy follows the curve of intelligence. Japan was conquered and then got democracy. Otherwise it would just be another China or north Korea. Its an issue of identity and identities in their common mean of morality, intelligence, and industry. thee is a reason the world speaks English and not their languages. it follows the nations who were closest to the true faith. eVangelical protestant CHristianity. by the way there is no such thing as xenophobia . its just a word to discredit the rights of the native people to have and hold exclusively thier home and native land. they don't owe anyone else their home. Calling them names is just to delegitimize their rights to their home and stuff by foreigners demanding entry. In cAnada and america we know how this word is used to give our nations to foreigners as it were on a moral obligation. They gave up using physical force and now seek moral force. You nations out there don't let someone tell you your demand to your own home with just your faces is morally wrong. fight them by saying no to immigration.Robert Byers
April 8, 2014
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