New research in the journal Evolutionary Human Sciences, from University of Kent researchers Louis Bachaud and Sarah Johns, explores how members of various manosphere communities (think Andrew Tate and his ilk) misuse research and concepts from evolutionary psychology to bolster their own misogynistic views.

    • @jopepa
      link
      1210 months ago

      lol and I’m here trying to imagine how there could ever be a valid context for that.

      • @[email protected]
        link
        fedilink
        410 months ago

        This is only one example, but a lot of people are interested in studying top performers like Olympians etc. and what things are different about them. In studies like those, genes are relevant, as are performance results.

        • @jopepa
          link
          15
          edit-2
          10 months ago

          I see what you mean and I’m not trying to stir shit, but that’s not superior genes those are specialized genetic traits. Superior is such a loaded word, why even use it in an academic sense when there are plenty of near synonyms that don’t have that eugenics baggage?

          • @[email protected]
            link
            fedilink
            410 months ago

            Because they are likely talking in context of that one activity, and it is indeed accurate to describe certain people as genetically superior in that context. Not everyone thinks about every implication of every word choice and which effect that would have on the larger society.

            • @jopepa
              link
              410 months ago

              I’d bet most people can probably think of three words for superior. If you’re in the same field that shares some unfortunate history with eugenics then it’s definitely better to be a little more intentional with specifically words like that. I’m just surprised that’s still vernacular in genetics research still is all I’m saying.

              • @MycoBro
                link
                410 months ago

                At first I wasn’t convinced but your right. They should be more sensitive to the history of it than anyone else being it’s their field.

                • @jopepa
                  link
                  210 months ago

                  Right? Not to mention more out spoken white supremacy these days and all the misquoting and misinformation that emboldens it.

          • @captainlezbian
            link
            210 months ago

            Exactly, michael Phelps is genetically superior by dolphin standards, but for the standards of calorie limited pursuit predators with high plant consumption relying on high intelligence and social skills on land, meh he’s not impressing me.

            • @jopepa
              link
              1
              edit-2
              10 months ago

              I don’t understand your point.

              • @captainlezbian
                link
                210 months ago

                Certain things that may be considered “genetically superior” in contexts of extreme outliers, especially of athletics are more optimization for certain tasks and can contain drawbacks for other tasks that our species actually evolved for.

                • @jopepa
                  link
                  210 months ago

                  I see, thanks for clarifying. Yeah it’s all subjective so neutral labeling is important to specify that. Superlatives don’t make much sense in science.