YOYO English Club

Hi yoyoers, I am curious if some of you have read the book "The Selfish Gene" by Richard Dawkins? If not but interested in giving it a try, the following clips provide you some insights about the book. To be honest, I haven't read the book yet and would like to know your opinions about it.

Some of the key concepts:
Gene: A pattern of DNA copies exist inside creatures and determine one trait. The unit of natural selection
Survival of the fittest: Describes how organisms best adapted to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce, passing on their advantageous traits
Reciprocal altruism: A creature being kind others in expectation of getting help in return
Session 1:
1. What are your thoughts after watching these videos? Can the theory explain the behaviors of human society?
2. In the first video, how does the concept of the "selfish gene" explain seemingly selfish behaviors like infidelity and greed?
3. If gene is selfish, how do you explain some altruistic behaviors such as a mother sacrificing herself for her children, the worker bees, who die after stinging an intruder?
4. What is the core concept of "The Selfish Gene"? Would it encourage the idea of Social Darwinism?

Session 2:
1. What are some of the different "strategies" that a successful gene might employ? (Hint: Traits like self-oriented, passivism, ...)
2. Why is it important to understand that genes are the units of natural selection, not just individual organisms?
3. Given the complexity of genetic interactions and environmental influences, how should we interpret simple genetic explanations for traits? What about epigenetics? (Epigenetics: the study of how cells control gene activity without changing the DNA sequence)

A quote that I found out worth mentioning again is "It is important to distinguish a statement of belief in what is the case, from an advocacy of what ought to be the case"

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Agenda:
6:45 ~ 7:00pm Greetings & Free Talk / Ordering Beverage or Meal / Getting Newcomer’s Information
7:00 ~ 7:10pm Opening Remarks / Newcomer’s Self-introduction / Grouping
(Session I)
7:10 ~ 7:45pm Discussion Session (35 mins)
7:45 ~ 8:00pm Summarization (15 mins)
8:00 ~ 8:05pm Regrouping / Instruction Giving / Taking a 5 Minutes Break (Intermission)
(Session II)
8:05 ~ 8:40pm Discussion Session (35 mins)
8:40 ~ 8:55pm Summarization (15 mins)
8:55 ~ 9:00pm Concluding Remarks / Announcements

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Meeting Date: As shown on the Subject Line
Meeting Time: 7:00pm – 9:00pm
Meeting Venue: 丹堤咖啡 Dante Coffee (Minimum Order $85)
Address: 台北市濟南路三段25號[MAP]-捷運忠孝新生站3號出口步行3分鐘

Important Notes:
1. We suggest that participants read the articles and think about the questions in advance.
2. Newcomers should prepare a two-to-three-minute self-introduction in English to deliver when called upon by the host before the start of the discussion.
3. We welcome newcomers and other guests to attend the meetings and join the discussion freely for three times. After that, we hope you will consider becoming a YoYo English Club member. We charge a NT$1000 lifetime membership fee, or NT$500 for students.

The subject and the talks in these two videos may seem challenging to grasp, but once you dive in, they are fascinating and thought-provoking. They offer a fresh perspective—and maybe an answer to a question many of us have pondered: Despite all the advances in technology and civilization, why does human nature seem so unchanged? Why are our traits like selfishness and the competitive mindset not much different from those of our ancient forebears?
Perhaps, as the author suggested, the life of creatures is mortal, but the genes are immortal. These genes, in their quest for survival, often rely on selfish behavior as a strategy to survive and reproduce.

However, the author also points out that genes can propagate through reciprocal altruism and even pure altruism (unselfishness). Does this explain more about our complex and mixed traits and behavior? No one is entirely evil, completely kind, or purely selfless. We have all these bags of genes in our DNA.

I read from somewhere about Richard Dawkinson regrets saying that we are only hosts for those alien parasites from outer space which care only about themselves but not us. It said that he was only joking. But I think it's very interesting and, to an atheist, it's reasonable and convincing, isn't it?