Shadow-Flame -- Acting out Genetic Destiny

On many occasions in this book, we encounter people who enhance their reproductive success via infidelity. Such behaviour, however, is only advantageous if the person concerned manages to gain the benefits of infidelity without incurring its even greater costs.

This chapter is concerned with the potential costs of being unfaithful. It consists of Scenes 8 to 11, each of which explores one or more of the costs and dangers of infidelity. Some of these dangers are experienced by the person who is being unfaithful; some by their partner. In this first scene, we examinethe reproductive repercussions for a man of being unknowingly tricked into raising another man's child.

The comments that people make when they are first confronted by a new-born baby show a surprising preoccupation with seeking a resemblance between the baby and the presumed father. It is not known how often such comments and comparisons are accurate. In Scene 8 the midwife was wrong, but the man would have found it reassuring none the less. But, as life turned out, it might have been better if he hadn't — he might have been more likely to retrieve his situation, reproductively.

In his generation's cruel competition to pass on its genes, the dying man was a reproductive failure. For him there were no descendants; no dynasty. He had been outmaneuvered in life's mating game by his partner and a man he never even knew — the man who was the real, genetic, father of his 'son'. Between them, the two had tricked him into dedicating all of his reproductive effort into raising a child who wasn't his, just like the small bird that is tricked into raising a monstrous cuckoo chick.

Had he not been duped in this way, there was in principle nothing wrong with his strategy of having just one child. Recent studies have shown that, all else being equal, increasing one's wealth and investing more into each child can increase reproductive success just as much as having more children. It does so because each child then has a greater
chance of survival, grows to be healthier and wealthier, and so becomes more likely to attract the opposite sex.

Eventually, such a child should produce more grandchildren or great-grandchildren than a child who received less investment from his or her parents. Sons, in particular, make good investments (Scene 18). Wealthier, healthier sons have more opportunity to inseminate girls before they choose a long-term partner, are more likely to obtain an attractive, fertile and faithful partner, and are more likely to have the opportunity for infidelity. Even apart from the grandchildren such a son might produce through his long-term relationships, he is also more likely to produce 'satellite' grandchildren via other women, often in the process tricking other men into raising his children as if they were their own.

The greatest reproductive success is achieved by people who strike the best balance between the pursuit of wealth and status and the production of children. This principle applies just as much to an African cattle-herder as it does to a Western industrialist. It also applies to other animals. A male bird, for instance, has to strike a balance between gaining a better territory and feeding its young on the one hand, and finding opportunities to mate on the other. The
best balance, of course, can be elusive. Spend so long accumulating resources to invest that you never actually find time to reproduce, and your strategy will fail. Spend all your time having children and none accumulating resources, and your strategy again fails. Your children may die of malnutrition or become so unhealthy and disease-ridden that they become unattractive or infertile. The single-child strategy, which is the ultimate in investment, can be successful as we have seen — but it can also fail. Moreover, when it does fail, it does so spectacularly. If that child dies through accident or disease or is infertile through some misfortune of genetics or infection, the single-child strategy is a total failure. Or, if your situation is like that of the man in Scene 8, the single-child
strategy is again a total failure. For the woman in the scene, however, the strategy worked wonderfully. She produced a son who survived and avoided major diseases. Moreover, through his receipt and use of the higher-thanaverage family wealth, he was able to achieve a status in terms of health and wealth that made him a popular target for attractive and
fertile young girls (Scene 18). For all his mother knew, her son might have produced children with some of these other women. He might even have tricked other men in the same way that his genetic father had tricked the man who had just died. Even apart from such potential satellite children, her son had successfully produced five
children with his long-term partner. Had the woman had more than the one child, the reduced investment in each could have led to her having fewer grandchildren. As events turned out, her strategy was a good one.
.
The strategy also worked well for the genetic father. Not only did he enjoy the same reproductive benefits through his son as did the woman, but he undoubtedly enjoyed further reproductive success with his own long-term partner. Biologically, his success contrasts with the failure of the man who raised his, the genetic father's, child as if it were his own. Having been deceived early on in his reproductive life, the latter had several opportunities to retrieve the situation but, as events turned out, he responded disadvantageously. He could have been more persuasive in changing his partner's mind about not having more children, but he wasn't. He could have taken the opportunities for infidelity that presented themselves, but he didn't. He could even have left his partner and tried a long-term relationship with another woman who would have given him children, but he didn't. For him, the dangerous strategy of having only one child was a disaster. Had the child he was raising been his own, his character and his responses to the challenge of child-rearing would have been advantageous. The couple would both have reaped the rewards of a successful son. But because the child was not his own, biologically his genetic package of characteristics was a failure. With all the cruelty that is natural selection, his genes were weeded out, never to be passed on to future generations.

The experience of the dying man in Scene 8 is by no means rare. World wide, it has been calculated from studies of blood groups that about 10 per cent of children are in fact not sired by the man who thinks he is their father. This is also the level found in industrial Western societies (see Scene 18 for further details). There is a real need for an
extensive study using modern techniques such as DNA fingerprinting. So far, the nearest thing to such a study comes from the paternity tests carried out by child support agencies. They are responding to absent 'fathers' who demand such tests in an attempt to avoid or delay the enforced financial support of an ex-partner. Internationally, child
support agencies are reporting a non-paternity rate of about 15 per cent. All figures for non-paternity are of the proportion of children actually born. The non-paternity level for children conceived will be even higher. This is because a woman is more likely to abort a child conceived via a man other than her long-term partner. Almost certainly
this happens primarily when her partner either knows or has a good chance of finding out that he is not the real father. The abortion then represents an attempt by the woman to avoid the costs of infidelity discussed in Scenes 9 and 11.

Although properly controlled DNA fingerprinting studies have not been carried out on humans, they have been carried out on a wide range of apparently monogamous birds. The results suggest a roughly 30 per cent incidence of males raising other males' offspring, comparable with but slightly higher than the level in humans. So it would seem that the average male bird has even less reason to be reassured by a passing resemblance to its offspring than has the average man.

[70年，70年，总觉得是个陷阱。。]

韩寒：这些狗真麻烦
http://blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_4701280b0100g03k.html

今日，闵行区的潘女士家房子被强制拆迁，潘女士在三楼投掷自制燃烧弹，无奈家庭作坊做的燃烧弹只能用瓶子，技术上自然就遇到了瓶颈，威力太小，被消防车轻松扑灭以后，消防车的高压水枪对准潘女士扫射，最终潘女士缴械投降。

看到这则新闻，我欣慰的感到，经过了二十年的发展，社会进步了。冲锋枪换成了高压水枪。那么，为什么会导致如此惨烈的抗衡呢？因为这次大虹桥的建设，潘女士家的面积有480米，而政府只愿意赔偿67万，也就是每平方米761元的房屋重置补贴和1480元的土地补偿。

当这个城市的商品房均价是在用万衡量的时候，强制拆迁的价格还在用百来计算，这就是居民投掷燃烧弹的原因，也就是说，人家本来住了480平方，你要征用人 家的土地进行所谓的建设，也就是做生意，你赔偿人家的钱只够人家买40个平方，然后强拆队就来了，换做任何一个有武器的人都忍不住得掏武器。

当然，这个例子说明了一些问题，第一是中国政府当年禁枪是有道理的，我记得我很小时候我家里是有一把气枪的，用于打鸟，后来突然有一天政府突然下令说所有 的气枪猎枪都必须上缴。这说明我们的政府是有远见的，他意识到了在十几年后，社会矛盾将会加剧，届时如果老百姓配备了气枪，那政府拆迁部门只能配备火箭炮 了。

第二是中国政府当年的土地公有制是有远见的，连丝毫没有经济头脑的毛泽东也意识到了，政府吃喝玩乐成本会很大，光靠收税和资源能源垄断弄不好还不够花，土 地将是一笔大收入。后来，领导们又担心土地在自己手里卖光了，导致党儿子党孙子们没有地可以卖，到时候自己就成了罪人，所以又规定，土地转让的年限是70 年，以方便让孙子们再卖一次。

第三是肯定是政府很后悔的一个问题，早知道现在城市化进程这么有利可图，当时就不应该让农民们有宅基地和自己的房子，导致了现在很多的拆迁问题，想当年在 建造监狱的时候，应该利用监狱的图纸顺便也给农民们把自己的村庄建好，一个村一个监狱，一户人家一个牢房，再利用人民日报灌输一下理念，说这就是社会主义 新农村，从此自己不用再花钱建房，政府直接送房给大家，家家户户都是水泥混凝土，门直接就是用钢筋做的。当然，钥匙还是要给人家的。这样操作的好处之一是 虽然前期花了一些成本，但是后期再也没有拆迁的苦恼。好处之二是万一谁犯了罪，直接给丫钥匙没收了就行了。

这个事件中还有几个亮点，就是闵行区一些领导的言论。总所周知，闵行区的领导总是一不小心就把真话给说出来了，我认为这个其实是值得鼓励的，因为他们坦率 的真情流露，总是我嘴说我心，比起那些面上一套私下一套的官员至少要强多了。比如闵行区执法大队队长之前就钓鱼事件发表的言论说“没有利益驱动，为什么要 帮你”。这句话的深刻与坦诚，只有郑州官员的“你到底是代表党，还是代表人民？”可以媲美。

这次闵行区领导的真心话大冒险接力接到了华漕镇。

华漕镇副镇长高宝金说：你跟政府对抗，那肯定触犯了法律，那肯定要处理的。

另外，建设公司委托给区政府的征地款是每亩地130万元，整个虹桥机场的拆迁总费用高达148亿元。但是政府补贴到农民手中的征地款是每亩地38万元。那么其中的差价为什么就归当地政府了呢？

上海市闵行区交通建设委员会的主任，闵行区动迁指挥部的一把手吴仲权的观点就比较新颖，他认为，闵行区虹桥枢纽这个地块，是在政府的改扩建消息出来以后才大幅提升的，因此由之获得的土地增值价值也不应该由群众取得。

你是不是觉得闵行区很可恶呢？你是不是奇怪为什么他们的官员位置还那么稳呢？如果你这么想，你就太嫩了，因为他们是上海市政府的得力干将。这就好比你是公 司的部门经理，你要买一个市场价是1000的打印机，于是你给了你的一个员工1000元整，结果你的员工花了300块钱就把这个打印机给强行买来了，还给 你开了一张1000的发票，又给了你400，他自己拿走300。不光如此，你还不用负责这个员工的伙食，因为他饿了可以自己钓鱼吃。这个员工唯一的问题是 开车赶路的时候压死的几条狗，导致你的办公室外面经常有一堆狗对着你吼，你说，你会不会开除这个员工呢？当然不会。你只会想，这些狗真麻烦。

是的，那些倒霉蛋就是那几只狗，而我们就是那一堆狗。

[虽然标题不太恰当,哪个毕业生不是‘9成单位不要我们’。。但还请有志青年不要误入歧途阿。。]

中医学生：9成单位都不要我们

　　作者：成岗 戚在兵
　　南京晨报2009-11-16

　　“我们不需要中医类毕业生！”这一声拒绝让某药科大学中医专业的毕业生
李亮尴尬不已，这已经是他今天第三次被拒绝了。这一幕发生在昨日由江苏省人
力资源和社会保障厅、省卫生厅联合举办的今冬首场“2010届医药卫生类毕业生
人才交流大会”上。3万多名医药类毕业生涌入南京国际博览中心的招聘现场，
但很多像李亮一样的中医类毕业生们发现，在全场300多家单位和5000多个岗位
中，适合他们的竟然只有寥寥几家中医类医院以及医药代表职业。

　　【现象】

　　“省三好”投不出一份简历

　　南医大二附院人事科龚科长已经不记得她拒绝了多少中医专业的毕业生了。
对于这种拒绝，龚科长非常无奈，因为在这次医院招聘的150个岗位中，没有一
个与中医相关的岗位。“我们是西医医院，当然不招中医毕业生。”而在昨日的
招聘现场，像南医大二附院这样并不招收中医专业学生的单位占到90%。

　　昨天中午，招聘现场已经有撤摊的迹象，记者与一脸茫然的李亮有了一番交
流。学习骨伤专业的本科毕业生李亮在大学期间每年都是专业前三名，并获得过
“省三好学生”等荣誉称号。昨天9点就赶到招聘现场的李亮制作了一份精美的
简历，从学习成绩到各项证书都显得丰富多彩，但李亮告诉记者，直到中午12点
他连一份简历都没有投出去：“我看上的医院不要中医专业的学生，我中意的中
医院不需要我的简历。”上午10点后，李亮就已经在整个招聘会现场转了一圈，
他把自己的目标锁定在驻南京的各类医院。在省人民医院招聘台前，他被客气地
告知，这次招聘中并没有中医岗位。而另外一家他中意的南医大二附院也以同样
原因拒绝了他的简历。调整目标的李亮随即把目光投向省中医院，他惊喜地看到
了骨伤科的招聘大牌，但招聘人员随即给了他一盆冷水：“研究生学历”。

　　“因为我家在南京，所以外地的中医院所暂时不考虑，转了几圈下来，一张
简历都没有投出去，一家八竿子打不着的网站倒是要我的简历，但我看他们来者
不拒的样子，怕是搜集毕业生信息的，就干脆没敢给。算了，今天干脆就不投
了。”李亮告诉记者。

　　药理学研究生要当医药代表

　　马俊杰倒是投出去4份简历，作为南京中医药大学药理学研究生，马俊杰的
选择面稍微大了一点，他选择了江苏省中医院、省第二中医院、南通市中医院以
及苏州市立医院等4家医院。而这样几家医院的招聘人员也明确地告诉他，这次
招聘的人并不会太多，让他再多去转转。“我其实心态很稳定，目前已经有了一
个意向，去一家大型医药公司担任营销工作。也就是医药代表。”

　　马俊杰告诉记者，他们班级大部分同学都有当医药代表的意愿，一方面各大
中医类医院每年的进人指标非常少，而西医院根本就不招中医类毕业生。因此，
中医类毕业生只好把目光投向对专业要求并不苛刻的医药公司。

　　学了7年药理学专业，却要去做不需要太多医学知识的医药代表，那不是非
常可惜吗？马俊杰无奈地表示，他的想法和记者一样，也感到专业荒废掉了。
“但是没办法，中医专业的毕业生就业面实在太窄了，不干医药代表就找不着工
作。虽然医药代表名声不太好听，但是如果能够找到一些大型医药集团，不管是
工作还是工资也是有一定保障的。”马俊杰连连摇头。

　　【延伸】

　　中医专业学生出路在哪里

　　对于中医院学生就业难的问题，有专家不以为然。“南京就那么两家中医院，
每年就招那么几个人，如果学生们都将目光瞄着这两家医院，自然是挤独木桥，
学生们应该将眼光下移。”南京某中医院一位院长表示，苏北缺乏中医人才，可
很多人害怕去了之后生活不习惯，怕吃苦，宁愿去当药代，这反映了当下大学生
就业观念存在的误区。“不能将眼光都停留在大城市，下面的区县中医院也不错，
学生们可以考虑。”“既然《执业医师法》规定中医学院的毕业生，无论是中医
还是中西医结合专业，都只能参加中医类别的执业医师考试，不能参加临床类别
的执业医师考试。我的建议是，除了考研之外，大家还可以报考西医院研究生。”
去年从南京中医药大学顺利考上南京医科大学的小黄告诉记者，这几年，像他一
样的学生越来越多，而且成功率还很高，对就业难的中医院学生是一条不错的路。

　　【调查】

　　毕业生多招的人却很少

　　记者在采访中发现，相比较于西医专业学生，中医专业毕业生找工作普遍难，
留在南京更难。对此，业内人士介绍，除了就业形势不乐观的大背景，中医自身
的一些特点也制约了毕业生的“销路”。

　　记者了解到，南京目前纯粹的中医院只有两所，分别为省中医院和南京市中
医院，但两家医院每年招聘的中医毕业生也不多，每家医院要人的名额仅仅十来
个而已。即便算上两所省市中西医结合医院，总量也不会超过50个人。据南京市
中医院相关人士介绍，由于医院招聘的人数少，而毕业生数量太多，如今想进中
医院，除了针灸推拿专业硕士毕业生可以考虑外，临床科室一般只有博士才能进
来，本科生根本就是靠边站。随着医院的要求越来越高，中医院毕业生出路艰难，
有接近1/3无奈选择去做药代。

　　老中医不退休新医生滞销

　　“中医是越老越吃香，院方都希望老专家们‘退而不休’，很多名老中医院
一退休就又被返聘回去了。”记者了解到，在南京市中医院和省中医院名医堂有
一批知名老中医在为患者看病，他们当中的不少人都是返聘回来的，其中以国家
级名中医和省级名中医居多。

　　据南京某中医院一位副院长透露，一家中医院即使每年退休十个老中医，空
出来的位子也不会考虑年轻的毕业生，通常会优先考虑临床经验丰富的高职称者
和学科带头人，或是引进的人才，刚毕业缺乏临床经验的新手只能靠边站。“这
种退而不休，自然也限制医院进毕业生的数量。加上中医院数量有限，毕业生
‘滞销’也就可以理解了。”

　　中医、西医都学，却都不精

　　记者了解到，现在中医院的学生入学后，普遍都要学习西医知识，不少学校
还办有中西医结合专业。本来这样做就是为了让学生出路更广，但在用人单位眼
里，这种“中医不精，西医不通”反倒成了中医学生求职的“软肋”。

　　“中医毕业生进了医院，一般都不能马上派上用场，而西医院校的学生学习
的知识标准化，感冒了开什么药，发烧了该怎么处理，书上都有据可查，很快就
能承担起基本的诊疗工作。”南京某中医院的专家坦言。

　　中西医学生执业范围差很大

　　“其实，中医院学生与西医院的学生有着很多的不公平，”江苏省中医院一
位医生告诉记者，尽管都是凭执业医生资格证上岗，但是西医与中医的执业范围
却天壤之别：西医可以去中医院的任何一个科室行医，而绝大部分中医则很难进
西医院，即使能进，也只能去西医院的中医科室上班，否则就可能是“非法行
医”。

　　据了解，造成这种不公平的原因在于，卫生部规定，学临床专业的以岗位报
考，而中医、中西医专业出身的学生只能以专业报考。尽管中医院校开设了西医
课程，学生也掌握了基本西医理论知识，但是他们并不具备考临床类执业医师的
资格。

(XYS20091125)

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论文成绩终于出来了,过了。如无意外，就要成为MSc了。
其实也就一块敲门砖。路，还真长。

“说青春是幸福的，这只是一种幻想，是已经失去了青春的人们的一种幻想。但是，年轻人知道自己是不幸的，因为他们脑子里充满了灌输给他们的种种不切实际的幻想。他们一旦同现实接触，总是碰得头破血流。看来，他们似乎是某种阴谋的牺牲品，因为他们所读的书——由于必要的选择而很理想；还有长辈们之间的谈话—— 他们是透过健忘的玫瑰色的雾霭来回首青春的，这一切都为他们准备好了一个不真实的生活。他们必须自己发现，他们所读过的书，所听到的话，全是谎言！谎言！ 谎言！而每一次的发现，都是往那具已被钉在生活十字架上的身躯再打入一枚钉子。奇怪的是，每一个经历过痛苦幻灭的人，由于受到他自身抑制不了的力量的驱 使，又总是无意中增添了这种痛苦的幻灭。”