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For example, incels on [[incels.co]] disproportionately describe themselves as autistic<ref>https://incels.co/threads/survey-results-for-october-2019.147774/</ref> and autists have a high risk of inceldom.<ref>https://incels.wiki/w/Scientific_Blackpill#tocMental</ref> Autism has been suggested to be a good measure of developmental instability/mutational load due to the correlations with de novo mutations mentioned above.<ref>https://doi.org/10.1007/s40806-017-0084-x</ref> | For example, incels on [[incels.co]] disproportionately describe themselves as autistic<ref>https://incels.co/threads/survey-results-for-october-2019.147774/</ref> and autists have a high risk of inceldom.<ref>https://incels.wiki/w/Scientific_Blackpill#tocMental</ref> Autism has been suggested to be a good measure of developmental instability/mutational load due to the correlations with de novo mutations mentioned above.<ref>https://doi.org/10.1007/s40806-017-0084-x</ref> | ||
== | == Deleterious vs beneficial mutations == | ||
Even though the vast majority of mutations are | Even though the vast majority of mutations are harmful or neutral, some mutations are beneficial. Mutation accumulation is how evolution works, adaptive mutations are preserved, and deleterious mutations (depending on ecological context) are eventually purged from the gene pool. An example of a beneficial mutation is the ACTN3 gene giving West African sprinters faster fast-twitch muscle fibers and a faster sprint speed. | ||
Ugliness does not necessarily worsen the gene pool as it is only weakly related to disease, though it is generally socially undesirable. However, various genetic diseases, functional and cognitive impairment, do warrant concern and reduce overall population viability if maintained in the gene pool (dysgenics). | |||
People are also hardwired to socially exclude | Some experts have made dire predictions that the buildup of deleterious mutations in the human genome possibly spells disaster for the human race, such as Alexey S. Kondrashov, a prominent ecologist and evolutionary biologist.<ref>https://www.amazon.com/Crumbling-Genome-Impact-Deleterious-Mutations/dp/1118952111</ref> | ||
Kondrashov, in particular, argues that removal of formerly harsh selection pressures (like high rates of infant mortality and disease burden) that historically served to limit the buildup of deleterious mutations in the human genome will lead to the proliferation of these deleterious mutations in the species, resulting in unprecedented increases in genetic diseases like autism, schizophrenia, and diabetes, etc. | |||
He also argues that this removal of selection pressure has also resulted in potentially maladaptive or undesirable traits like obesity, psychopathy, and other socially undesirable traits increasing in prevalence. A counterpoint to this argument would be that the increases in many of these 'deleterious' (in a subjective sense) mutations may be due to them actually increasing the fitness of the bearer in the context of modern society. These mutations could be beneficial in that they currently increase the organism's fitness, but would possibly be deleterious in other cultural or social contexts. | |||
Kodrashov is staunchly against eugenics and concludes that deleterious mutational accumulation can only be ethically and effectively be resolved via bioengineering technologies like gene editing. He discusses the various ethical quandaries surrounding the use of these technologies and the likely far-reaching social implications of their deployment at some length in the book. | |||
Substantial progress has already been made towards the development of these technologies, in particular, strides have been made in correcting deleterious mutations in embryos via gene editing.<ref>https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2017/08/02/540975224/scientists-precisely-edit-dna-in-human-embryos-to-fix-a-disease-gene?t=1577487765548</ref> <ref>https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2017/08/02/540975224/scientists-precisely-edit-dna-in-human-embryos-to-fix-a-disease-gene?t=1577487765548</ref> | |||
Perhaps the focus on deleterious mutations from the news media and others is because bad news is more attention-grabbing, humanity seems to have a negativity bias.<ref>https://www.adweek.com/digital/bad-news-negative-headlines-get-much-more-attention/</ref> | |||
People are also possibly hardwired to socially exclude individuals with certain deleterious mutations in an effort to increase their own [[reproductive success]], and possibly also prevent these individuals from hampering group-cohesion/co-operation (in the case of deleterious mutations that damage social processing and social functioning, such as ones linked to autism).<ref>https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0886260515593546</ref><ref>https://www.researchgate.net/publication/301670151_Adolescent_Bullying_in_Schools_An_Evolutionary_Perspective</ref> | |||
== See also == | == See also == | ||