What is humankind's most important adaptation?

[helloworld.exe]

I would argue that masturbation is the human animal's most important adaptation. The very cornerstone of our technological civilization. Our hands evolved to grip tools, all right—including our own. You see, thinkers, inventors, and scientists are usually geeks, and geeks have a harder time getting laid than anyone. Without the built-in sexual release valve provided by masturbation, it's doubtful that early humans would have ever mastered the secrets of fire or discovered the wheel. And you can bet that Galileo, Newton, and Einstein never would have made their discoveries if they hadn't first been able to clear their heads by slapping the salami (or "knocking a few protons off the old hydrogen atom"). The same goes for Marie Curie. Before she discovered radium, you can be certain she first discovered the little man in the canoe.

 

[Niggernerd]

Deez nuts
Ha

 

[Bongocat]

Deez nuts
Ha

I mean technically, yes.

 

[Chaos Theorist]

Newton was a based volcel through

 

[REMEMBERMKULTRA]

The most important adaptations are in your immune system. That's why Americans got screwed up when the first Europeans came across the Pacific.

 

[AMHOLIO]

I'm not sure.

Our long term and short term memory is one. We have such a good memory bank to draw from and index our knowledge of stuff that kills us, stuff that helps us, and stuff we've learned. All that shit is needed for survival.

Our social networks are another. We may be apex predators, but we care for each other and mourn our losses. We teach people who aren't our family about things, improving a community instead of just our kin. Being good to each other had its advantages.

Our ability to both carry things and walk long distances. Early man literally outwalked his prey: once an animal was wounded, we would just follow it until it gave out due to exhaustion. Carry that shit back to your tribe along with your spears and bam, dinner is served, bitch.

I know this was a shitpost but it's cool to think about, thanks Brad Moon.

 

[Monolith]

I would argue that masturbation is the human animal's most important adaptation. The very cornerstone of our technological civilization. Our hands evolved to grip tools, all right—including our own. You see, thinkers, inventors, and scientists are usually geeks, and geeks have a harder time getting laid than anyone. Without the built-in sexual release valve provided by masturbation, it's doubtful that early humans would have ever mastered the secrets of fire or discovered the wheel. And you can bet that Galileo, Newton, and Einstein never would have made their discoveries if they hadn't first been able to clear their heads by slapping the salami (or "knocking a few protons off the old hydrogen atom"). The same goes for Marie Curie. Before she discovered radium, you can be certain she first discovered the little man in the canoe.

Hydrogen atoms have one proton retard

 

[Otterly]

The ability to adapt (ironically.)

evolution works on external selection pressures acting on a pool of variation. By being able to adapt yourself and your society you gain a huge advantage. Cold? Develop clothing. Sources of food different in new environment? Learn how to hunt/gather/process new foods. Etc. Our adaptability is what has seen us colonise every environment on earth

 

[A Welsh Cake]

The efficiency of our food consumption probably.

 

[verygayFrogs]

Opposable Thumbs

 

[Sexy Senior Citizen]

The ability to adapt (ironically.)

evolution works on external selection pressures acting on a pool of variation. By being able to adapt yourself and your society you gain a huge advantage. Cold? Develop clothing. Sources of food different in new environment? Learn how to hunt/gather/process new foods. Etc. Our adaptability is what has seen us colonise every environment on earth

It's not just adapting ourselves; that comes naturally with evolution. It's being able to adapt ourselves on demand that gave us such a huge advantage. Normal animals need many generations to adapt; humans can do it within hours, days, or weeks, depending on the situation.

 

[Andy Bandy Man]

Psychic powers

 

[Lemmingwise]

Imagine what would have happened if Tesla had been nofap and established a bloodline of masters of electricity.

 

[Cyclonus]

The ability to create and use fire. All other animals instinctively run away from fire in the wild, but our ancestors looked at a wild fire started by lightning and said "That glowy thing that's rapidly consuming that forest? I'm going to make it my bitch".

 

[Fanatical Pragmatist]

Opposable thumbs + high intelligence.
Basically everything else comes from that.

 

[Haim Arlosoroff]

Animal Husbandry or farming, but I'm thinking farming and its consequences have been a disaster overall. Probably should have stuck to herding alone.