Capitalism or Socialism
January 5, 2018
Hippie Food
January 26, 2018Food Chain Radio Show #1134
Michael Olson, Author & Urban Farming Agriculturalist
Cultural Selection
Guest: Gavin Ehringer, Author, Leaving the Wild
Way back in time, wild animals began showing up at our campfire and, after sniffing around a bit, asked if we would mind if they joined us at our fire.
Michael Olson Food Chain Radio – What did we get by the cultural selection and the domestication of wild animals?
After thinking about it for a while, we said, “Sure, come join us!”
And so a bargain was struck: Animals would give up their wildness for our care, provisions and protection; in return, we would get companionship, food, labor, transportation, clothing, pest control and so much more.
The relationship that developed through that bargain has been managed through cultural selection. In the wild, selection was a natural process in which those fit enough to survive the elements were selected, those unfit passed into history.
But in culture, the selector is the value placed on the animal by its human protector. What the human values is selected, and what is not valued is not selected.
That bargain struck so long ago between we humans and our animals leads us to ask…
Why did animals and people decide to work together?
How did cultural selection determine how animals and people would work together ?
What does the future of our cultural selection portend for animals and people?
Leave a comment below: Which animal person are you?
Nationally syndicated Food Chain Radio airs live Saturday mornings 9-10AM Pacific.
