Cultural selection discussion

I'm not sure that the sorry state of post-modern theorising about culture is something we should import into evolutionary theories of culture.

(Light-hearted aside) Check out the following web-site www.csse.monash.edu.au/community/postmodern.html

"Nick Rose thinks that my cultural r/k theory is not as robust as the biological r/K theory because it can't explain Margaret Thatcher's eccentricities."

That's not entirely fair - Thatcher was simply the first example that came to mind. I felt one (difficult) example was better than simply listing a dozen - would it be helpful if people listed as many exceptions to the r/k distinction they could think of?

"My comments to this:
1.What makes you think that Mrs Thatcher is one of the most regal women on Earth? Conservatism is not the same as
regality."

However, Conservatism (like all right wing thinking perhaps) thrives in an environment rich in inter-group conflict. Mrs Thatcher was also at her most popular (and culturally successful?) during the war with Argentina over the ownership of the Falkland islands. I don't know about the *most* regal woman (I'm sure Elizabeth I was worse!) - but Mrs Thatcher must surely rate pretty high!?

"2.You are giving a brief citation: 'there was no such thing as society' out of context. I don't know what she means by
that, but don't tell me that she is an anarchist."

No, as far as I understood it she believed that there was no such thing as society - simply a collection of individuals. She was by no means an anarchist - she was simply refuting the socialist doctrine.

"3.She probably doesn't mean the same by individualism as I do. Individualism to her may be economic liberalism or
laissez faire policy. What I meant by individualism (in a very different context), was that individual differences in taste and life-style are valued rather than repressed. Maybe I haven't expressed myself clear enough."

Perhaps you need to re-think the terms you use. 'Individualism' can also be very selfish and destructive (e.g. liberal economics and the exploitation of planetary resources) - and working for the good of the group can be very beneficial for all. (e.g. the National Health Service in the UK)

"4.The biological r/K theory is not as robust as you think (which I also explain), and no sociological theory is 'robust' if your criterion for robustness is that it has no exception."

I accept that biological r/k theory might have exceptions - but there are less exceptions than there are example of the rule working. Under that criteria I feel your theory of cultural r/k selection is not very robust.

Cheers,

Nick