Date: Tue, 9 Apr 96 5:25:07 EDT
From: boddhisatva <kbevans-AT-panix.com>
Subject: Re: TREE article






		To whom...,




	Energy spent in creating social cohesion is by definition inefficient
- until you stop.  Trying to find a proximate cost/benefit effect of such
human traits as taking care of the old and young, may be fruitless unless you
take an a priori requirement for social cohesion into account.  


	The earlier article seemed to miss the inference that greater food
processing may not take time out of individual work days, but require work
shifting - which requires a social animal.  Less sophisticated animals
must take all the time for non-resource-gathering activity out of their
personal "accounts."  Primates, and subsequently humans share the burden. 
Also, looking for advantage in social behavior over individual behavior
may be backwards.  It may be that humans developed to the point where they
could not survive except as social animals, and have subsequently evolved
to accommodate that initial condition. 
    


	I see no reason that this discussion would not be better held on the
original Marxism list.




	peace





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