Survival of the fittest, how does it apply to humans?

Question

Fitness, the leading cause of mating/breeding, is easy enough to look at for most animals. The fastest runner, best hunter, most colorful plumage etc. wins the mate.

But with the advent of the human mind, which can alter its own nature at will, perceived fitness and sexual attraction have changed.

So I ask you, reader, what makes a human "fit" besides killer abs?

Answer 1

determination, intelligence, courage..

etc etc.

Answer 2

Pure natural selection no longer applies to humans. Intelligence has found ways around it. Make-up, surgery, exercise all contribute to a fooling of the mechanism.

Also the civillised society negates any obvious results from natural selection based on human moral standards.

Answer 3

We had the advantage over other animals because we could walk on two legs and walk for long distances.

Between us humans, the strongest one used to be the best one.

But today, it's all about money and intelligence. Intelligence or ingenuity gets money. Men show their money by buying expensive things that we put high value on. Women are attracted to stability and protection that money provides and that is why the smart males get the best mates.

If you disagree, why are there gold diggers? And if you are a woman who is not a gold digger, good for you. For every woman like you, there are probably ten out there looking just for the money perpetuating stereotypes ie The Girls Next Door.

Answer 4

I love how the wording of this just about gets it into philosophy.

Answer 5

Survival of the fittest is apply to humans by Physical fit, Mentally fit. Also able to adapt to new changes like in technology or in the enviroment.

Answer 6

Sadly, money has become the proxy for physical domination.  It is the one with the most resources that has access to more breeding partners.  It used to be that humans had to fight to gain mating rights and had to continue to fight to maintain them, just like any other animal.  Some will be misled by the delusion that humans have socially evolved and are now looking to the more intellectual traits, such as perceived intelligence, but that is simply not the case.  Material wealth is now the measure of fitness.  It is an extension of the notion of being provided for.  More money equates to more means by which to provide for the mates and offspring.  Having an advanced degree usually indicates a higher IQ (IQ is a measurement of academic aptitude, not any other type of "smarts").  However, not everyone with an advanced degree is rich.  In fact a lot of people with advanced degrees are middle class or upper middle class, but definitely not within that top 10% of wealth holders.  Example?  Bill Gates.  So what's it come down to?  Humans use money now.  That horrifying monstrosity of social Darwinism has extended into biology.  Economic fitness is the new standard.

Answer 7

We have more in common with Bower Birds that anything else. We show our fitness by how we build (or choose) and what we put within the bower to attract the female. We further dominate our fellow males by our prowess and ability to do so.

Answer 8

I know a guy who has heart problems all over his family.  He is in his mid 50's.  His twin brother died of a heart attack, one day after shooting the biggest buck imaginable.  Other people in his family have had heart attacks.  This guy that I know has a responce for all this, during the warm months of the year he rides his bike.  He rides at least 20 miles everytime he goes out, and tries to do one 100 mile ride every summer.  Despite 5 heart attacks he is still alive.  Given everything he can honestly say "I ride to stay alive."

Survival of the fittest....that is however one part of many to survival.  In my example and this person is a security guard where I work this person could do things like lay off the bacon.  There is also survival because of how you feed your mind and body which are important as well.  Only how you feed your mind and body don't make cool sayings like survival of the fittest.

Answer 9

Survival of the richest perhaps. In order to be richer, you may need other qualities like intelligence, good looks, determination.

Answer 10

I agree that people can alter their natures, but maybe not insofar as many are under the impression that they can.  Humans are "fit" in the same way that many other animals are: in any aspect through which they are able to demonstrate fertility and the ability to care for children.

Of course there are people who have non-reproductive interests, such as religious people who choose abstinence and some g**s or straight people who want to live childless lives.  These people probably benefit on an evolutionary scale by helping those with similar genes, such as siblings and nephews and nieces.

So answers will probably vary depending on whether you take the direct gene-reproductive approach to fitness or the adoptive approach to fitness, but in either case, the ability to socialize and make others comfortable and have a good time won't hurt in addition to having a sweet ***.