We had a lovely dinner with my folks this weekend to celebrate my mom's bday (see previous post). After dinner, as we sat enjoying hot tea and carrot cake (mom's favorite, prepared by her favorite daughter, of course!) we discussed the evolution of risk tolerance in humans. I'm sure you're familiar with the studies: a passer-by will choose not to risk what she has in hand in lieu of bigger gains, even if the odds of getting more are in her favor. As a species, we select risks that minimize loss and protect existing assets, not that maximize gain. We enjoyed a discourse as to why, speaking in terms of evolution, this would be so. After all, the adage "a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush" originated somewhere.
It got me thinking that this would be an interesting premise for a movie (or novel [I'm thinking of you, my Ursala-wannabe Sister]): the interaction between our conservative-risk human race and an alien race which survived an evolutionary pressure that favor risks for maximum gain. Think about it. Financial markets, for sure, would be differently driven. Career choices, too, might be more "outlandish" b/c students wouldn't feel compelled to hedge their bets on a degree that would make them employable (i.e. more History majors and MFAs in the alien race than the human race). Egad, consider the repercussions of more MFAs running lose! Assume all other factors are equal: physical fitness, natural resource limitations, etc. Would the spectrum of poverty, for example, be broader in the alien race? Bigger gamble = bigger winners and bigger losers.
It may be more successful as an independent "thought" film, but I think the concept is solid.
YOU ARE SUCH A DORK!
ReplyDeleteIn a good way, of course : )