*Pinches bridge of nose*

Hey let's talk worldbuilding for a minute. (Not where you thought I was going, huh?) https://twitter.com/DiscoverMag/status/1297330244697886721

SO MUCH discussion of "evolution" is predicated on an entirely false notion--that the only way genes survive is *by doinking and passing them on yourself*

Ever stop to consider how much has to happen BETWEEN doinking and your offspring doinking?

A LOT has to happen--the offspring must survive AND be productive for YOUR genes to survive past that initial generation. SO....what strategies might animals employ to help that happen?

Societies, for one. Be part of a successful society, and you're more likely to see your genes ten generations from now.

Small mammals who live in groups, for example, often have "lookout" duty--meerkats, prairie dogs--who warn the rest of the fam if there's a predator nearby.

Screeching at the top of your lungs *actually doesn't help YOU very much* but it helps the *rest* of the group--and so, voila, your genes (the ones you SHARE with that group) survive.

Further, "evolution favors only those who doink and anything not related to doinking doesn't help your genes survive the wringer of environmental pressures" isn't accurate-- genes you share with siblings, nieces, etc, aren't any different from the genes you share with offspring.

So participating in societal strategies actually does help "your" genes even if YOU never procreate.

We carry this weird bias of "evolution favors only doinking" and "doinking favors only certain attributes" into worldbuilding a LOT.

Any society you build that's just "big dudes run everything because EVOLUTION" and ignores the complex realities of survival and non-procreating peoples' contributions is...oof.

This isn't just "we have to be woke and not be misongystic even though that would be ReALisTiC." It's NOT realistic to ignore non-procreative societal survival strategies and their roles.

It's not realistic to assume a struggling group would, like, throw Grandma to the wolves or something. Grandma is useful. Grandma knows how to butcher rabbits so you don't waste any. Grandma is good at keeping the kids quiet (who you also, you know, want to survive).