If so, were our ancesters more smarter than us?
2006-10-02 13:11:26 · 11 answers · asked by Anonymous in Social Science ➔ Anthropology
Only if you learn from it, and resist assaulting someone else with the same type of adversity that you currently experience. As for part two of your big Q, for as long as we have been homo sapiens, no, are ancestors were not smarter. They only had to adapt more to environmental stress, where we have to adapt more to cultural and technological stress. Our ability to overcome, or to adapt, is the same, the context is just different.
2006-10-02 18:33:56 · answer #1 · answered by ? 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Scientific American several months ago did an article on learning, and particularly the kind of learning that produces chess grandmasters and golf champions like Tiger Woods. The analysis is that practice does not make perfect. It doesn't matter how often you do a thing, if the difficulty of the doing doesn't change.
That means it isn't just a matter of playing chess, it is a matter of playing chess against those above your level-- and the greater the level you are playing against the better you improve. After surveying crafts, sports, trades, etc and examining the biological mechanisms behind learning and processing memories and strategies, it was decided that about 10 years of strenuous practice, stretching yourself every time to improve, not just sitting there swinging wildly or playing against first graders, is what it takes to reach a mastery of just about any subject.
No, our ancesters were not smarter than us. If anything, we have far greater ways to improve ourselves and our capacity. The chess grandmasters of a century ago might be middle of the upper pack today. Why? Because today a child can practice against a chess program that can play at the grandmaster level, propelling him or her much faster than those a century ago limited by transportation and personal networking. We are not physiologically adapted to modern living, and so we must continuously push ourselves to adapt our behaviors in ways that our ancestors didn't.
2006-10-02 20:24:23 · answer #2 · answered by almethod2004 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Surely life is all about overcoming obstacles and challenges? If we have one life, then surely the idea is to make the most of it. Doing something daring, dangerous, challenging, etc. and surviving to live another day must give a person confidence to do the same thing again, or even take greater risks. I've never been a risk taker, so far, but I think it's time to "Carpe Diem" and make the most of every day. Life's too short (especially if you do start taking greater risks!). If you want to get all philosophical, I agree with Ludwig Wittgenstein when he said, "Never stay up on the barren heights of cleverness, but come down into the green valleys of silliness." ;)
2016-03-18 03:53:50 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
adversity is a left over from the guy that said i got mine the hard way and even if i could make it easy for you i won't because i paid my dues now you pay yours... well i just happen to be really hearing impaired and i had a real thing about half killing some of these people who enjoy adversity just for the sake of like laughing when people fall on the ice it just natural to be a sociopathic hypocrite, might say adversity could cause revenge
2006-10-02 19:30:07 · answer #4 · answered by bev 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sometimes, not always. Adversity sometimes makes us stronger and smarter. Sometimes it beats us down and makes us weaker.
I'm sure our ancestors were smarter than us in some areas and more ignorant in others. Skills that are practiced get honed. We hone different skills than those people. Our technology now is more than theirs, though. There's more we have to know to get through life successfully in this society. We also live longer which gives us more time to learn more.
2006-10-02 13:18:21 · answer #5 · answered by nondescript 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I don't think it's about overcoming adversity. That entails a stuggle, which means you end up losing. It's about going around the adversity.
2006-10-02 13:18:50 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I can't decide if it's "overcoming adversity" or "submitting to the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune" that makes us stronger. On the other hand, it could be "submitting to adversity" or "overcoming the slings and arrows etc".
How about "overcoming reality by blindly repeating our beliefs and opinions more and more loudly until all other possibilities are drowned out of our minds".
Or possibly "Aligning ourselves with corrupt and stupid politicians so we can destroy anyone who disagrees with our view"?
Oh, life is so short and there are so many choices!
2006-10-02 13:40:01 · answer #7 · answered by beast 6 · 2⤊ 1⤋
It is maybe not the best way, but the only way to survive. If you can not overcome your misfortune or calamity, you are near to kill yourself. Our ancestors have had the same problem, therefore, it is not a matter of smartness.
2006-10-10 02:36:18 · answer #8 · answered by Mexican Pedro 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The best way to get stronger is by using your life experiences and everything around you and inside you (most importantly, of course) to truly understand who you are and what YOU understand your purpose to be. i.e. the phrase "you must love yourself before you can love another"...i know it's cheesy, but it's very true. Know yourself.
2006-10-02 13:23:07 · answer #9 · answered by terryandadriana 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I think so. Look at the people that came out of the depression. The greatest generation. Man have we let them down.
2006-10-02 15:55:00 · answer #10 · answered by baseballandbbq 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋