Genetics: Do you ever feel like you were screwed from birth?

[Tomasso]

I feel that from an evolutionary standpoint, my genes would have been mercilessly weeded from existence if it weren't for modern medicine keeping me alive to create children (theoretically of course lol)

1) Vision - My vision started deteriorating when I was 8, I can't see long distance, this would have meant that I would have been a poor hunter, then less of a male, then I would have been forced to gather berries with women and not be able to mate.

2) Physically small - As a small-boned, 5'7 man of 135 LBs it is safe to say that I would never be able to assert dominance over my cave people tribe to be able to get a woman. Back then the alpha of the pack got all the women before organized things like marriage came into existence

3) A.D.D. - I am naturally slow. Surely this would make me be seen as weaker by the alphas in my cave people tribe, similarly to how I get made fun of today.

4) Socially retarded- of course, the list wouldn't be complete without this one.

What about you?

Do you ever feel like your genes are an epic fail?

 

[YellowBird]

contrary to popular belief,i like to think we are more than mere flesh.

i don't have the best relationship with myself either,but i still believe i deserve to live(well not this very moment),but there have been magical moments in my life,no matter the sh*t that followed and will continue to stick with me,i'd never give away,a few good memories are worth a million horrible ones,i truly believe that,and if you haven't had your fun yet,it means it's on it's way.

 

[WeirdyMcGee]

Sure-- I have loads of diseases, so I'm feeble and will die earlier than a healthy person would.
It seems like when I was born- I was given the worst of both sides of my family.
I also have a high likelihood of getting diabetes, cancer(s--- yes, plural. haha) and... loads of other unpleasant illnesses.

And then there's the mental illnesses...
I won't even start on that, though- since some people seem to think they aren't genetic.

 

[Kinetik]

No, I love my genetics.

 

[MrJones]

Screwed from birth? I don't know. I have diseases that are my family heritage, but still my sister seems to live a good life.

 

[MikeyC]

I am genetically healthy. I don't go to the hospital very much, haven't been to the dentist, and don't get terrible illnesses. My genes have been pretty good to me that way.

Yet my mental health is really, really poor.

I wonder how long my physical health will stay good for. It's an absolute miracle I don't have diabetes with the amount of crap I eat.

 

[bleach]

points 3 and 4 probably developed more from conditions that only exist in modern society, especially new technology like computers. Disorders like autism, ADD, AvPD, and many others have been increasing over the last few decades and probably did not even exist a century ago.

size is also more a function of certain conditions than genetics; especially nutrition. also being too large would have been a hindrance in certain environments; pygmies are so tiny because it is the most advantageous size for the jungles they live in. many people from cold climates are short and squat because having more surface area would cause them to lose body heat rapidly.

vision also is somewhat contingent on circumstances. every minute you stare at your computer monitor it is blasting radiation into your eyeballs and degrading your vision. hunting by the way does not always require good eyesight; American indians usually hunted by encircling large game with brush fires to scare them into traps. you don't need the best natural tools if you are clever enough to work around the problem.

of course, knowing that our problems are caused more by life conditions than genetics is probably little consolation, because we can't change the life we lived any more than our genes. we can, however, change some of our current conditions to maybe get better results in the future.

PS. to answer the question. no.

 

[Iluv]

I do. Sometimes, since my skin is pale and not the best. Everyone is walking around with pin-straight, glossy hair and clear tanned skin. What went wrong with me?!

 

[EscapeArtist]

Well, here's the thing. In this society, it is the purest of genes and the most adapted to nature that become the sickest. It's environmental. We are more designed for the life of our ancestors. Let's take native americans for instance and how the majority of them have diabetes, mental illness, alcoholism and other illnesses. They are the least adapted to the standard american diet, lifestyle, culture, all of this toxic stuff. Those who are resilient are adapted to very toxic things and less adapted than we are to the life that our bodies are more designed for.
The sicker, the more sensitive, the MORE you are adapted to things that are 'pure' so to say. This may also mean that when you reverse these diseases (they are all reversible) you will feel better than somebody who is adapted to toxicity can feel.

 

[9407]

Definitely.

1. I'm one of the few black people that has acne. My family also has acne as well.

2. I'm pretty short. I'm 18 and only 5'5. (again, most black people are tall...)

3: Mental Illness (OCD, ADHD, Depression)

4: Lack of talent. I still haven't found anything that I'm really good at.

5: When I was younger I had a lisp and was told I sounded like Daffy Duck or Silvester the cat. This is one of the biggest contributors to my SA.


There is more, but yeah.....at least I'm not blind, deaf, or in a wheel chair. Also, since I'm not skinny, I don't have to worry about getting pushed around.

 

[BlueDays]

I did not inherit any physical diseases from my family, but I did get screwed with inheriting all the mental illnesses.
I got Depression from my Grandmother and mother.
Severe Social Anxiety from my Grandfather.
Addictive personality from my Father and Mother.
Slight Hoarding from my Grandmother and Grandfather.

Yes I would have been "weeded out" from society as you put it so I could not produce offspring if my mother had not done such a great job of preventing me from commiting suicide. I wish she hadn't! now it's too late.::

 

[doubtmyself]

Good genes...but looks like I picked up a few anxious ones...both parents worry, worry, worry, ......picked up a few academic ones that got me through University, good athletic genes. I used to smoke so if I get cancer can't blame anyone but myself.
No I have say I wear a nice set of genes!

 

[OceanMist]

I think most people who have bad anxiety problems got it through genetics. It's been proven that anxiety is genetic in studies.

In my case, my parents both have anxiety so that's why I'm so messed up. There is free will but there is only so much someone can do.

 

[Orion's Hound]

Yes and no. I was born with physical and mental maladies that may very well cut my life short to be sure but overcoming them where I can gives me wisdom that others don't possess. Those born healthy, attractive, popular, those are the ones, I find, who break when the going gets rough. You will learn a lot more useful things from a diabetic heroin addict than a trust fund baby with perfect health. I don't mean book stuff but wisdom - I differentiate that from intellect. Hardship brings wisdom. Also brings deeper appreciation of the good.

And you maybe important to the lives of people you would never know of. Who can say? We touch each other in ways unseen. Some answer you have given to a question on the Internet may very well have altered the course of someone's life. Even a short life can teach lessons. And, in the end, a life fifty years long or a life one hundred and fifty years long will have roughly the same impact on a universe that measures it's age in millions of years anyways. We persist. We do it for some reason.

 

[Thelema]

Well, here's the thing. In this society, it is the purest of genes and the most adapted to nature that become the sickest. It's environmental. We are more designed for the life of our ancestors.Let's take native americans for instance and how the majority of them have diabetes, mental illness, alcoholism and other illnesses. They are the least adapted to the standard american diet, lifestyle, culture, all of this toxic stuff. Those who are resilient are adapted to very toxic things and less adapted than we are to the life that our bodies are more designed for.
The sicker, the more sensitive, the MORE you are adapted to things that are 'pure' so to say. This may also mean that when you reverse these diseases (they are all reversible) you will feel better than somebody who is adapted to toxicity can feel.

Uhhhh what

I know you're not trying to sound racist...but that was so racist I can't believe it and I know you're just talking out of your butt

 

[Azael]

I can see what you are saying, but the law of increasing entropy means that everything in the universe is regressing, you are not actually behind on anything. Furthermore, this evolutionary thinking is completely and utterly devoid of fact or rationality. It's actually very destructive. With regards to genes, they are not a single program that decides every aspect of you; rather they are expressed in certain ways depending on many factors. They are quite flexible and adaptable. As a fallen and flawed race we cannot be perfect in all areas but we can do things that better ourselves. Your genes will have a reaction to that and your next generation will be even better for it!

 

[Feathers]

Uhhhh what

I know you're not trying to sound racist...but that was so racist I can't believe it and I know you're just talking out of your butt

What did you find racist about it?
There are books and articles and TV shows about how contact with 'Western civilisation' (& ilnesses and different nutrition of the 'white men') brought new disease to original inhabitants worldwide who were naturally adapted to different lifestyles.. no?
Many 'white people' have these lifestyle-related problems and illnesses too, that's true...

Lots of things have an influence in who we are and what we do:
1. genes/heritage
2. environment
3. self activity

Someone with 'great genes' who lives in healthy environment can probably 'get away' with more 'junk food', if your environment/genes might not be so great (or you might be under more stress), you need to work on lifestyle and nutrition more...

There are really charming not-so-tall guys & girls too, and I often wished I wasn't so tall!!
Some people look REALLY cute with glasses! And you can improve eyesight too, with exercises or meditation or such!!

I have disliked some parts of my visuals and my 'imperfections', but imperfections only make us more human and more understanding of other people too!!
Some 'perfect' people can be really 'annoying' or shallow!!

Wouldn't it be BORING if we would all look & feel & BE alike??

Health or mental health problems can be LEARNING LESSONS!!

As a society we often live differently than what generations of people have adapted to in Nature... & Yeah, I like to think we are MUCH MORE than our 'genes' or bodies... too!!

 

[coyote]

...Let's take native americans for instance and how the majority of them have diabetes, mental illness, alcoholism and other illnesses...

it would probably be more correct to say that there is a higher percentage of these illnesses among native americans than is found in the general population

 

[Thelema]

What did you find racist about it?
There are books and articles and TV shows about how contact with 'Western civilisation' (& ilnesses and different nutrition of the 'white men') brought new disease to original inhabitants worldwide who were naturally adapted to different lifestyles.. no?
Many 'white people' have these lifestyle-related problems and illnesses too, that's true...

Lots of things have an influence in who we are and what we do:
1. genes/heritage
2. environment
3. self activity

Someone with 'great genes' who lives in healthy environment can probably 'get away' with more 'junk food', if your environment/genes might not be so great (or you might be under more stress), you need to work on lifestyle and nutrition more...

There are really charming not-so-tall guys & girls too, and I often wished I wasn't so tall!!
Some people look REALLY cute with glasses! And you can improve eyesight too, with exercises or meditation or such!!

I have disliked some parts of my visuals and my 'imperfections', but imperfections only make us more human and more understanding of other people too!!
Some 'perfect' people can be really 'annoying' or shallow!!

Wouldn't it be BORING if we would all look & feel & BE alike??

Health or mental health problems can be LEARNING LESSONS!!

As a society we often live differently than what generations of people have adapted to in Nature... & Yeah, I like to think we are MUCH MORE than our 'genes' or bodies... too!!

That's not genetic-that's environmental and using stereotypes as fact right from your ass. Switch out Native American for black or Jew...

Let's take African Americans for instance and how the majority of them are on welfare, have children with several women they don't support, smoke crack and are in prison.

But you use stereotypes about indians and suddenly it's okay??? It's basically saying indians are inferior genetically to the pure white race we should all aspire to

Bull****.

 

[deleted #89]

Nobody owes you nothing.....get back out there and choose your life.