As I read through chapter five I found an idea that related a lot to Ishmael. Ishmael is a book that talks about humans, culture, and nature. He showed to us how the completion of species was very tough, but that it was harder intra species. In The Selfish Gene this statement is also said when Dawkins says: "Blackbirds and blackbirds compete with each other for worms and for everything else" (pg.67). This was also one of Ishmael's teachings. The two books include this, and each book has its separate reason for including it. In Ishmael it was used to show how animals will kill for hunger and destroy with a reason and how we kill for fun. In The Selfish Gene it is used to show to us how genes control the animals in order for them to survive. When I read this is started to think that it makes sense to compete with the same species because they need everything that I need. With other races they might need worms but I need bread so we do not have to compete directly. In humans I am not sure if this is true. I personally relate better to persons that are similar to me in things they like and do than persons that are more different. I would say that the more similar persons are to me more we get along. I am not saying that all people feel the way I do, but I think generally people like other people with similar moods and actions. In another way this does relate to human beings. We are all in a fierce race for the natural resources. We need the natural resources to be able to live and they are gradually decreasing so in a very near future a fierce race for the resources between humans will start. There was another part in this chapter that reminded me of Ishmael. One of Ishmael's teachings was that leavers had strategies for attacking other tribes. Each tribe attacked the others sometimes but at other times had peace with them. This strategy was called the erratic retaliator. According to Dawkins: "A more complex strategy which Maynard Smith and Price introduced is called Retaliator" (pg.74). Dawkins presents us with more strategies. If I had to choose one strategy of all the ones he shows is Prober-retaliator. I liked this strategy because it is the one that most adopts to the situation. It is a safe strategy that doesn't risk much but if they attack me, I will attack back.
There are many animal strategies that are very similar to human strategies. The strategy of the hens and the monkeys are the most similar to humans. In The Selfish Gene there is a quotation that says: "General memory of past fights, are kept together in a close group for a time, a kind of dominance hierarchy is likely to develop" (pg.82). Monkeys and hens as well as humans are able to record past fights and matches and use them to determine future actions. If I fight someone and lose, then next time I will probably not fight him because I know I will probably lose. The monkeys and hens will do the same thing. It is actually the best strategy because it uses past events and memories to affect future acts. This is a thing that also happens in many sports. For example in a soccer match you have to play a team that has beaten your team the last three matches. It is important that you and the team do everything to prevent the opponent intimidate you. Regardless that you try it will affect because of past experiences and events that you have had. The same thing can apply to tennis. In tennis the mind is one of the most important factors so it is imperial to clear your mind of past matches. If you have to play a person that has beat you and you enter the court with losing mentality you will most likely lose. In strategies for surviving, it is good to record past events. There are cases where past events can affects you negatively or positive is you have the winning streak on your side.
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