What Melting Pot Groups are there?

[Kaonohi]

Re: What Melting Pot Groups are there?

After serious consideration of all the replies and having my brain melt down and realizing the effect that time has on acquired knowledge it's pretty obvious my question was too broad, and actually stimulated people to respond according to how they define (divide) "groups."

But this is not a bad thing! After all, I'm no self-proclaimed expert, I'm still in the learning mode.

Race, i.e., geographically distributed genetics, although not always clearly a "group" (due to crossovers & posers), is only one way to define 'groups.'

Ethnicity, i.e., the culture you practice and in which you were likely brought up, is another.

Group Identification, which may separate Kama`aina from Locals in some cases, is another, and it includes numerous sub-categories: mokes, age groupings, religions separatism, goths, hippies, etc., etc., ad infinitum.

Appearance, color, morphological types, behaviour, clothing, etc.

Still, it has been a useful exercise, and I thank you all for your input.

Does it matter? Well, yes. Especially when group identification is exclusive, meaning it excludes others from intercourse (social) because of perceived prejudices, or when it causes violent intervention based on group identity or perceived identity.

In Hawai`i we have more different human "types" than any other place I have lived or visited - especially on O`ahu.

All things considered, I'd say we are doing pretty good - under the circumstances - and even better than several places I have been with less human difference.

WTF: Keep up the good work!

[Mike_Lowery]

Re: What Melting Pot Groups are there?

After serious consideration of all the replies and having my brain melt down and realizing the effect that time has on acquired knowledge it's pretty obvious my question was too broad, and actually stimulated people to respond according to how they define (divide) "groups."

But this is not a bad thing! After all, I'm no self-proclaimed expert, I'm still in the learning mode.

Race, i.e., geographically distributed genetics, although not always clearly a "group" (due to crossovers & posers), is only one way to define 'groups.'

Ethnicity, i.e., the culture you practice and in which you were likely brought up, is another.

Group Identification, which may separate Kama`aina from Locals in some cases, is another, and it includes numerous sub-categories: mokes, age groupings, religions separatism, goths, hippies, etc., etc., ad infinitum.

Appearance, color, morphological types, behaviour, clothing, etc.

Still, it has been a useful exercise, and I thank you all for your input.

Does it matter? Well, yes. Especially when group identification is exclusive, meaning it excludes others from intercourse (social) because of perceived prejudices, or when it causes violent intervention based on group identity or perceived identity.

In Hawai`i we have more different human "types" than any other place I have lived or visited - especially on O`ahu.

All things considered, I'd say we are doing pretty good - under the circumstances - and even better than several places I have been with less human difference.

WTF: Keep up the good work!

you want to get into phrenology while you're at it?

[Jim75]

Re: What Melting Pot Groups are there?

What does it matter? Probably not much anymore, since we've long ago overthrown the law of life in our world-wide civilization and thereby doomed it to a willful and self-driven catastrophe. However, it matters a great deal if we ever wish to return to the fold, embrace that original law and continue on the path all other earthly cultures and species tread. That alternate path is, of course, currently known as 'natural selection'.

So what is this "law of life" you're referring to? And what is "the path all other earthly cultures and species tread"? Are you saying "natural selection" is not being followed by "our world-wide civilization"? Are you saying the "alternate path" is "natural selection" and that world-wide civilization is not adhering to natural selection?

[salmoned]

Re: What Melting Pot Groups are there?

You don't know the law of life which all other species and 'primitive' cultures follow that we have usurped and denied? Well, neither did I, up until a year or so ago. Then I finally figured it ALL out (the big picture, at least - the myriad details are fairly easy to resolve once the paradigm is shifted), whilst standing on the shoulders of giants.

Here's one of the rules in the law of life - DIVERSITY. I'm sure you can easily see why diversity is an essential rule of life, without it the range of survival conditions remains narrow. Yet, the paradigm of our civilization is bent on the destruction of diversity in every non-trivial direction.

Yes, natural selection doesn't operate with regard to our civilization. Rather we have artificial selection. Man has taken the reins and assumed the mantle of power, thereby denying the operation of natural, evolutionary development. Remember, natural selection is applied intra-, not inter-, species. The damage we do to other species is the result of breaking another one of the rules contained in the law of life.

[surlygirly]

Re: What Melting Pot Groups are there?

All I know is I'm seriously craving some fondue right now. And yes, I was that stupid to think this was a thread about the restaurant. I AM blonde.

I like the salad bowl analogy myself. And while this doesn't help your definition any, I will say that living in Hawaii was a very nice change of pace from the "Good Ol' Boy" Southern thing I've been surrounded by my entire life. Definitely the vinegarette of the dressing. Bleh!

[Jim75]

Re: What Melting Pot Groups are there?

You don't know the law of life which all other species and 'primitive' cultures follow that we have usurped and denied? Well, neither did I, up until a year or so ago. Then I finally figured it ALL out (the big picture, at least - the myriad details are fairly easy to resolve once the paradigm is shifted), whilst standing on the shoulders of giants.

Here's one of the rules in the law of life - DIVERSITY. I'm sure you can easily see why diversity is an essential rule of life, without it the range of survival conditions remains narrow. Yet, the paradigm of our civilization is bent on the destruction of diversity in every non-trivial direction.

Yes, natural selection doesn't operate with regard to our civilization. Rather we have artificial selection. Man has taken the reins and assumed the mantle of power, thereby denying the operation of natural, evolutionary development. Remember, natural selection is applied intra-, not inter-, species. The damage we do to other species is the result of breaking another one of the rules contained in the law of life.

I would offer that natural selection is a process that takes place with, or without, the consent, cooperation, participation, resistance, or awareness of living organisms. You believe that man has taken "the mantle of power" and is living outside of evolutionary law. I think man is just employing survival strategies that will eventually be revealed as successful, or not, via natural selection. To presume to have the knowledge, understanding, and wisdom to anticipate the unfolding of nature, by saying we're headed for the ditch, is likely an error. It could all turn out an infinity of other different ways. Why choose an unhappy ending? Why choose an end at all?

[Mahi Waina]

Re: What Melting Pot Groups are there?

Man has taken the reins and assumed the mantle of power, thereby denying the operation of natural, evolutionary development.

That man should control the evolutionary process is the next logical step in evolution. Even more important than diversity (passive) is adaptability (proactive.)

[salmoned]

Re: What Melting Pot Groups are there?

I would offer that natural selection is a process that takes place with, or without, the consent, cooperation, participation, resistance, or awareness of living organisms. You believe that man has taken "the mantle of power" and is living outside of evolutionary law. I think man is just employing survival strategies that will eventually be revealed as successful, or not, via natural selection. To presume to have the knowledge, understanding, and wisdom to anticipate the unfolding of nature, by saying we're headed for the ditch, is likely an error. It could all turn out an infinity of other different ways. Why choose an unhappy ending? Why choose an end at all?

To say that natural selection is a process that may take place without the participation of living organisms is just plain silly. There is no natural selection without the participation of living organisms. Natural selection doesn't operate with regard to inanimate matter or energy. Yes, natural selection my take place with or without consent, cooperation or awareness, but it can also be subverted and/or cease to function. When a species becomes extinct, natural selection has no remaining avenue of operation for that species.

I never suggested that Man is living outside of evolutionary law, only that our civilization is doing all it can to thwart the processes of natural selection - two different concepts are involved. Natural selection is not equivalent to evolution, it is only one of the processes that drive evolution. Another process driving evolution is sexual selection, which is clearly driven by those very factors you mentioned above. I don't intend to create an exhaustive list of evolutionary mechanisms, suffice to say that natural selection is not the sole mechanism.

As for 'choosing' an unhappy ending, I don't believe I have 'chosen' an ending at all. When I mentioned a catastrophe, I never suggested that that would be the end of it all. Living organisms have survived many castastrophes in the past, I would reasonably presume they will survive others in the future. However, species extinctions are catastrophes (for the species involved, at least) and I don't believe you would argue that our civilization has not been rather actively involved in that arena.

I hope this clarifies my previous posts.

P.S. - Mahi Waina, evolution is not driven by logic. There have been no logical evolutionary steps in the past and no one can reasonably expect evolution to start operating with respect to logic in the future. Adaptability is a function of diversity.

[Mahi Waina]

Re: What Melting Pot Groups are there?

There have been no logical evolutionary steps in the past and no one can reasonably expect evolution to start operating with respect to logic in the future.

Come now, the list is endless: Flavr Savr Tomatos, biosynthetic vaccines and insulin, etc. Isn't DNA screening for birth defects a logical evolutionary step?

If it isn't kept transparent and mainstream, then surely some neonazi with an underground molecular genetics lab will beat us to it.

[Kaonohi]

Re: What Melting Pot Groups are there?

Come now, the list is endless: Flavr Savr Tomatos, biosynthetic vaccines and insulin, etc. Isn't DNA screening for birth defects a logical evolutionary step?

If it isn't kept transparent and mainstream, then surely some neonazi with an underground molecular genetics lab will beat us to it.

What? You guys going to gen-engineer humans?

Too late. We've been doing it for years already, at random. The number of people who can claim to be "pure" anything (ethnically, genetically, nationally, 'racially') is rapidly dwindiling. Most of us are experiments in gene-shuffling and random distribution.

(However, the forces of sexual selection - as opposed to natural selection - have been preserving some strains who prefer their own 'types' for mates. For many of the rest of us the exotic is more alluring.)

[Kaonohi]

For what it is worth:

Someone who read this thread with some regularity did me a great favor, for which I am grateful, since my sig. file in now technically correct!

However, when I tried to send thanks, I got an admin message saying:

"XXXXXXXX has exceeded their stored private messages quota and cannot accept further messages until they clear some space."

We have a max of 50, then any more go into the ozone layer.
There must be SOME accolades you can do without? Or save to a permanant file?

Anyway, if you recognize yourself, pls go to your profile page for my reply, and decide if you want to wean down your mailbox.

peace, K

[Barry]

Re: What Melting Pot Groups are there?

I got the same message !!! I tried to contact a member who lives in France with a special recipe. I changed the recipe to a laxative,,,, so she could get a clear out.
No point in spending time typing to find out that somebody's mail box is full. It's frustrating.