Once thought to be aberrant behavior, cannibalism is common in the natural world — and for many species, not necessarily a bad thing.
Source: In Many Species, a Family Dinner Means Something Else – The New York Times
…just a quick reminder, for those of us who still equate “natural” with “good,” or “natural” with “people should do it,” that maybe not everything natural is something we want to emulate.
And before we reluctantly conclude that cannibalism may be a good thing in nature if not among humanity, the author of this NYT article notes a few downsides:
Cannibals that consume their own relatives remove those genes from the population, reducing what scientists call their inclusive fitness. But the most significant drawback appears to be a greater chance of acquiring harmful, species-specific parasites or pathogens.
So, fellow natural living lovers, looks like we may have to do what Jefferson did to the New Testament and keep only the parts we like. Indeed, unless we are trying to Make A Point along the (famous) lines of Jonathan Swift, this part of nature, at least, may not be such a great guide. So, how do we decide which parts to keep?
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