Reconsidering Society
"The Carduan Chronicles" is taking me many new places so I am busy reading up on them. Research so matters in a book. That brought me to the book "How To Tame a Fox."
This is a fascinating experiment in domestication. Belyeav started this (putting himself into great danger) in the USSR in 1952. He wanted to explore the changes in animals when they are domesticated focusing on silver foxes for two reasons. First, they were like wolves. Second, the USSR had numerous silver fox farms producing fox pelts and he was an official in charge of the breeding program.
Foxes were selected for tameness. This alone led to great changes in the foxes.
Then there came a section about self domestication. Belyeav suggested humans had self domesticated themselves in order to form societies. In looking around, he checked into primate societies.
It seems chimpanzees and bonobos are much alike, split into separate areas by a river. Yet their societies are totally different.
Chimpanzees have a male dominated society. Males vie for dominance, form murderous gangs and subjugate their females.
Bonobos have a female dominated society. The females select their mates preferring those showing less aggression. Their society has no vying for dominance, no murderous gangs.
People have a male dominated society.
What if my Carduans have a female dominated society? How would this change the dynamics and relationships? What if the society is in flux, shifting between the two?
Like learning to see my world through the eyes of those much smaller than myself, this would force me to reconsider my values and ways of looking at society. Will I? It's tempting.
This is a fascinating experiment in domestication. Belyeav started this (putting himself into great danger) in the USSR in 1952. He wanted to explore the changes in animals when they are domesticated focusing on silver foxes for two reasons. First, they were like wolves. Second, the USSR had numerous silver fox farms producing fox pelts and he was an official in charge of the breeding program.
Foxes were selected for tameness. This alone led to great changes in the foxes.
Then there came a section about self domestication. Belyeav suggested humans had self domesticated themselves in order to form societies. In looking around, he checked into primate societies.
It seems chimpanzees and bonobos are much alike, split into separate areas by a river. Yet their societies are totally different.
Chimpanzees have a male dominated society. Males vie for dominance, form murderous gangs and subjugate their females.
Bonobos have a female dominated society. The females select their mates preferring those showing less aggression. Their society has no vying for dominance, no murderous gangs.
People have a male dominated society.
What if my Carduans have a female dominated society? How would this change the dynamics and relationships? What if the society is in flux, shifting between the two?
Like learning to see my world through the eyes of those much smaller than myself, this would force me to reconsider my values and ways of looking at society. Will I? It's tempting.
No comments have been added yet.
