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Two discussion topics from Thursday have been bugging me over the weekend.

Firstly, we fell into the habit of talking about "higher evolved" or "more evolved", as if both of these were desirable traits. While we did address the idea that evolution isn't like steps on a ladder - it is about adaptability, the concept of being more "highly evolved" as intelligent and true is worrying.

Sure, humanity has done a pretty good job of surviving as whole. But so has the cockroach. Which one of us if more highly evolved? Humans may be (or seem, since it is a relative matter) more complex and have undergone more changes as a species, but the cockroach has proven highly adaptable.

It would seem then that the cockroach has reached a "higher" stage of evolution, since it has found a form which has proven resilient in a range of conditions.

Secondly, we mentioned that there is comfort in stories. I have heard that communities are defined by their stories. Stories offer a sense of idenity.

In addition, stories provide a social norm in an uncertain world. So the continued unresolved question is: why do we want security? Personally, I think there is a matter of simplicity. Also, it is easier to make risk assessments when you have something constant.

Maybe people are lazy. Or energy efficient.