To reply to a digest, insert the relevant message header; don't reply to the digest header ------------------------------------------------------------- At 03:41 AM 2/6/2005 -0500, you wrote: >When I was >in Papua New Guinea, the local tribe had no shortage of good food and >rhetoric was their art form. I'd be interested in hearing more about your experience if it has relevance on this list. I think one of the best ways we can reconstruct stone-age lifestyles is to look at people still living in tribal and h/g groups. Sadly, they are becoming harder and harder to find. >There would have been old men telling tales of past achievements, young >men intent on >demonstrating they were up to the oldies' standards and children inspired >by and playing at both. Yes, the point about play is well taken. Certainly as a child I took part in some fairly high intensity play activities. I remember going until I had to collapse on the ground in a heap (at least for a few seconds). I think this is also evident among animals in the wild. >If you mean 'athletic' in the broad sense (almost as a synonym for >fitness), I don't think I agree. >But if by 'athletic' you mean modern athletic activities like running, >football, swimming, basketball >etc. that are constrained by rules and so require people to excel in a >severely rule-constrained >environment (and so become almost freaks), then yes, I'm right with you. >(Think of how often so- >called sports stars are injured - no paleo society could survive with such >fickle, fragile warriors!) > >Keith Yes, I mean the latter. I think I made a post on this list about my thoughts on the specificity of modern athleticism. Maybe modern sport would be a better term. Tim ----------------------------------------------------------------- The FAQ for Evolutionary Fitness is at http://www.evfit.com/faq.htm