Old comic. Still a fresh topic if your Drew getting pictures of naked QBs and ESPN has chosen to treat sexual harassment as a funny light topic and ask why you waited so long to go after the golden boy, thus attacking the victim and proving her lawyers accusation about the Good Old Boy network of the NFL.
Palin Drome (continuing from yesterday): evolution is not about the survival (or even reproduction) of individuals or even species; it’s about the selection, survival and continuation of traits. And yes, it’s a tautology: those traits that are successful, succeed, though they may do so by combining to form new species (hence the title of Darwin’s book). In Darwin’s time the mechanics of the process (chromosomes, genes and DNA) hadn’t yet been identified, of course. Today, we know that the whole evolutionary process boils down to what Richard Dawkins (I think it was him, anyway) called the “selfish gene.”
The trait we call “intelligence” might better be called “adaptability,” which comes from a big brain that’s able to re-wire itself on the fly. It’s worth noting that in the past four million years there have been two extended periods of extreme climatic instability, and both of those corresponded with substantial increase in hominid brain size. This big brain/neuroplasticity trait seems to succeed in an unstable environment.
Anyway, to Idiocracy and “The Marching Morons” (from which it seems to borrow a lot): we are the first species (far as we know, anyway) to supplement natural selection with artificial selection. Even before we understood DNA, we selectively bred animals and plants to serve our purposes. If the future of “Idiocracy” comes to pass, I think it will be because we chose to breed (or, if you prefer, domesticate) our own species to serve the desires of a ruling group. See, for instance, C.S. Lewis’s lecture, “The Abolition of Man.”
Wow… the tangents we take off on…
Yes, today’s strip is a re-run. I wish we had female engineering students like Drew back when I was in engineering school (sigh)…
We had a few females in a lot of “men-only” categories (in the early sixties). I remember once having lunch with a friend who was in med school. She was telling me about people getting mad at her because they said she was using up a seat that could have been taken by a legitimate med student, one who would become a doctor and use what he learned. As opposed to her: they assumed she would get married, have children, and never do any paid work.
I assume that Alex could very well get married, have children, and do paid work. She has a choice. Men don’t have choices as often.
Anyone else care to add comments on this subject? (now that we can’t put them on Pibgorn (whimper)). I’d be interested to see what other people have to say.
As to evolution, too bad the DNA keeps messing up the theory. Our hominid ancestors now broke off the branch of the tree long before us, unfortunately that leaves us with no real connecting ancestors on the “tree” and further proof of sudden appearance. Which the priest of naturalism will never admit to.
Dunno when GT first touched this subject … but it was a familiar one 60+ years ago… nothing much has changed. For a female to have a “brain” AND a “body” was more than a lot of the male population could cope with … it was like 24/7 stalkers anywhere on campus.
Drew would gladly give the torch to Alex to carry for as long as she liked!
alviebird over 13 years ago
Is this a repeat? Or just a recycled topic?
FriscoLou over 13 years ago
It’s always awkward telling someone they have “B O” or that their “zipper’s down”, but having your hotness show, just makes you want to get away.
dugharry over 13 years ago
Yuck!
Sandfan over 13 years ago
Lars seems to be angling for what I believe some people refer to as a “charity ▪▪▪▪”.
Potrzebie over 13 years ago
The geeks will have the last laugh, when they become rich and can afford to go down to adult-only resorts!
Chrisnp over 13 years ago
The thing is Drew is both hot and a geek, she gets the first AND last laughs.
heeyuk over 13 years ago
I had the same problem till I stopped using the toaster avatar.
odeliasimone over 13 years ago
Do you get the feeling that if she could suddenly morph into more of a Drew, that Leo would be history?
Nighthawks Premium Member over 13 years ago
faster than he could get out a sentence
freeholder1 over 13 years ago
Old comic. Still a fresh topic if your Drew getting pictures of naked QBs and ESPN has chosen to treat sexual harassment as a funny light topic and ask why you waited so long to go after the golden boy, thus attacking the victim and proving her lawyers accusation about the Good Old Boy network of the NFL.
puddleglum1066 over 13 years ago
Palin Drome (continuing from yesterday): evolution is not about the survival (or even reproduction) of individuals or even species; it’s about the selection, survival and continuation of traits. And yes, it’s a tautology: those traits that are successful, succeed, though they may do so by combining to form new species (hence the title of Darwin’s book). In Darwin’s time the mechanics of the process (chromosomes, genes and DNA) hadn’t yet been identified, of course. Today, we know that the whole evolutionary process boils down to what Richard Dawkins (I think it was him, anyway) called the “selfish gene.”
The trait we call “intelligence” might better be called “adaptability,” which comes from a big brain that’s able to re-wire itself on the fly. It’s worth noting that in the past four million years there have been two extended periods of extreme climatic instability, and both of those corresponded with substantial increase in hominid brain size. This big brain/neuroplasticity trait seems to succeed in an unstable environment.
Anyway, to Idiocracy and “The Marching Morons” (from which it seems to borrow a lot): we are the first species (far as we know, anyway) to supplement natural selection with artificial selection. Even before we understood DNA, we selectively bred animals and plants to serve our purposes. If the future of “Idiocracy” comes to pass, I think it will be because we chose to breed (or, if you prefer, domesticate) our own species to serve the desires of a ruling group. See, for instance, C.S. Lewis’s lecture, “The Abolition of Man.”
Wow… the tangents we take off on…
Yes, today’s strip is a re-run. I wish we had female engineering students like Drew back when I was in engineering school (sigh)…
RinaFarina over 13 years ago
We had a few females in a lot of “men-only” categories (in the early sixties). I remember once having lunch with a friend who was in med school. She was telling me about people getting mad at her because they said she was using up a seat that could have been taken by a legitimate med student, one who would become a doctor and use what he learned. As opposed to her: they assumed she would get married, have children, and never do any paid work.
I assume that Alex could very well get married, have children, and do paid work. She has a choice. Men don’t have choices as often.
RinaFarina over 13 years ago
Anyone else care to add comments on this subject? (now that we can’t put them on Pibgorn (whimper)). I’d be interested to see what other people have to say.
W6BXQ, John over 13 years ago
RinaFarina
See CCoC v2.0 at: http://image66amarillo.com/phpBB3/index.php
SaunaBeach over 13 years ago
Destabilizingly hot?
freeholder1 over 13 years ago
puddle. Kornbluth would thank you for recalling his work. He’d also likely send most of the tea party on one of the space rides.
freeholder1 over 13 years ago
As to evolution, too bad the DNA keeps messing up the theory. Our hominid ancestors now broke off the branch of the tree long before us, unfortunately that leaves us with no real connecting ancestors on the “tree” and further proof of sudden appearance. Which the priest of naturalism will never admit to.
alviebird over 13 years ago
I knew it, I knew it, I knew it.
It does happen.
I’m still waiting for my sugar-mama.
jeanne1212 over 13 years ago
Dunno when GT first touched this subject … but it was a familiar one 60+ years ago… nothing much has changed. For a female to have a “brain” AND a “body” was more than a lot of the male population could cope with … it was like 24/7 stalkers anywhere on campus.
Drew would gladly give the torch to Alex to carry for as long as she liked!