#SARCoV2

They think they're cool (clever) but they're behaving like fools.

The difference between understanding evolutionary biology at some level or another, and not, is that informed people can understand the drivers or motivations that make animals do what they do (including humans. At some level).

An evident motivator that everyone will be aware of is hunger. Hunger is a negative behavioral motivator. Whilst many people in wealthy countries will not have experienced real hunger, at extreme levels hunger will dominate the animal's mind (as would thirst). The animal would be "obsessed" with trying to find food (I acknowledge the anthropomorphization of "obsessed". However, a feeling of angst that focuses the animal's attention on finding food). Basically, the feelings associated with hunger are adaptations. If an animal was born that did not feel hunger, it would die - it would not pass on that behavior to the next generation (Although, if that animal was a human, a baby, carers could make sure that the youngster eat enough food).

Humans are no exception (though some delude themselves otherwise. A form of narcissism or ego), humans are also driven by feelings (emotions or instincts). For example, many humans take part in relatively foolishly dangerous behaviors because they are "showing off". Whilst any human can "show off", (many) men tend to dominate in the showing off by taking part in stupidly reckless activities department. Showing off is status-seeking behavior. For example, showing off resources such as expensive sports cars. Showing off by, in their minds, showing off their driving skills by driving cars fast or riding motorbikes fast. If the car or motorbike has a relatively loud engine, well, that's another way to show their status (perhaps they perceive that some people look at them because they're cool - rather than thinking they're simply noisy irritating fools).

So, what they don't realize is that they're actually acting like fools. They think they're cool but they're behaving like fools. Fundamentally, they're being idiots. Their dangerous driving is risking the safety of other people for no reason - other than to show off (an instinct - which is now a maladaptation). Of course, many adult males, as they mature, may come to realize that their risk-taking behaviors are simply not worth it. However, that realization (learning or maturity) takes a level of intelligence. Some adult males never grow up (they just look older).

Risk-taking behaviors are particularly dangerous when, for example, many adults are voting in a democracy. For example, they may ignore the medical advice about wearing face masks during a pandemic or the scientific warnings about climate change. Apparently, face masks aren't macho enough!

So, how do we mitigate the fools thinking their cool social psychological phenomenon? We try to educate more people about evolutionary psychology so that they recognize stupid when they see it.

Evolutionary Psychology - The New Science of the Mind https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429061417

#adaptation #psychology #EvolutionBiology #EvolutionaryPsychology #SocialPsychology #health #education #sports #cars #motobikes #democracy

#maladaptation #mutation #SarCov2 #covid #pandemic #climate #ClimateChange #ClimateCrisis

@mackayim2022 One notable thing about your post here is it doesn't have a lot of hashtags... I suspect if you hashtagged it more there would be more discovery. i.e. searching for #RSV or #influenza, most Mastodon instances won't pick up your post (it's not built for virality or discovery). Also #covid and #sarcov2 #pandemic etc. Not quite apples to apples between the services.

48/ Excellent format of Kristian Andersen's summary of #zoonotic #Sarcov2 #covidorigins, which includes an excellent breakdown of the 2 lineages found in the Pekar analyses (I'll post on this soon), found here :
https://typefully.com/K_G_Andersen/718agsO

One in 45 Scots had #Covid19 last week and infection trend ‘unclear’, data shows

#WearAMask outside your home in crowded areas. If #SARCoV2 doesn’t kill you it’ll probably maim you for life instead: https://www.thecourier.co.uk/news/scotland/4194814/one-in-45-scots-had-covid-last-week-and-infection-trend-unclear-data-shows/

XBB.1.5, or the ‘kraken’ #SARCoV2 variant, can evade our immune systems (and therefore render our vaccines useless) better than earlier variants, and appears to be way more infectious.

Its what viruses do…

At some point humanity will learn that we can’t just ‘live with’ a rapidly evolving and mutating lethal contagion…

Until then, thousands more will die. Needlessly:
https://theconversation.com/the-kraken-covid-variant-xbb-1-5-is-rising-quickly-in-the-us-heres-what-it-could-mean-for-the-uk-197265

Science Magazine: A cryo-electron microscopy study of #SARCoV2 in insect cells shows its spike binds the essential free fatty acid, linoleic acid. Further study will reveal if the related binding pocket on the virus could be a target for #COVID19 therapies.

https://fcld.ly/v7o6cu0 https://twitter.com/hbdchick/status/1308164311085469698 #virus

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On today's 1st covid-19 potentially documented reinfection, additional and reassuring perspective; publication pending

2nd infection was the ORF8 deletion associated w/ mild infection

Eric Topol: A genomic deletion of #SARCoV2 associated with mild infections, new @TheLancet

https://www.thelancet.com/action/showPdf?pii=S0140-6736%2820%2931757-8 https://twitter.com/EricTopol/status/1298017263606353922

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hbd chick Retweeted:
Laurie Garrett @Laurie_Garrett

So far the #SARCoV2 strains found in the US all map to China, but from 3 separate locations & entry events to USA.
We will soon discover #COVID19 is all over the US, has been here for wks, via multiple entries.
So much for airports "keeping the virus out."
https://nextstrain.org/ncov?label=clade:B4&m=div …

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Original: https://www.twitter.com/hbdchick/status/1236456047403040768
#China #virus

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Stacy Herbert Retweeted:
Laurie Garrett @Laurie_Garrett

I was in the #SARS epidemic when the virus spread in snowy Beijing and tropical Hanoi. There is no serious evidence #SARCoV2 is more temp-Sens. BUT 2 things change as NoHemisph heads to summer: open windows and longer days which = more UV light, killing viruses. https://twitter.com/megtirrell/status/1235665219948384257 …

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Original: https://www.twitter.com/stacyherbert/status/1235667084283174912
#Beijing #virus

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