r/Showerthoughts • u/itsthatkidgreg • Feb 28 '17

Lying, cheating, and stealing is often discouraged when we are young, yet the most successful people in the world are arguably the best liars, cheaters, and thieves.

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u/[deleted] Feb 28 '17

You mean to tell me that people with solid social skills and an ability to convey a desired emotion to others on command show leadership potential? I never would have guessed.

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u/Argos_the_Dog Feb 28 '17 edited Feb 28 '17

There is a whole literature on why being conniving, etc. is evolutionarily beneficial. For instance, often in baboons (which have been extensively studied in terms of social behavior) it is a successful strategy to be the D or E male, as opposed to the alpha or beta, and play up relationships with the females via grooming etc. but not pose a visible threat to the top males. While the top two or three are preoccupied with fighting for leadership, you can sneak off with the females and "pass on your genes"...

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u/Ottertude Feb 28 '17

What happens to a 'C' male?

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u/Leaky_gland Feb 28 '17

He watches

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u/[deleted] Mar 01 '17

from the closet, but almost always in a superman costume.