Adam and Eve (sort of)

http://www7.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0603/feature2/index.html

Following DNA markers and Y chromosomes scientists have been able to show that modern humans originated in Africa; specifically Ethiopia (Jah Rastafarii!). First central Asia, i.e. Afghanistan, then from that area Europe and Asia, and from Siberia finally, the Americas, were populated by the gradual movements of people pushed further up rivers and along coasts by the growth of their own populations and cultures.

In other words, traditionally scientist have always postulated that that most human of activities, war, was why humans migrated and populated new areas. Whereas this is new evidence that it had more to do with peaceful movements motivated by the search for new hunting grounds and new living space.

Here's the kicker: While none of us carry the exact same genetics, there are patterns: i.e. all white people have certain genes in common, all people of Celtic descent have certain genes in common, all people descended from Brittany in France have certain genes in common. This means that there was a certain person who originated that genetic mutation, who is the grandfather of all Brittany Celts, for example. Well, it seems there was a primordial Eve in East Africa, a woman who had a genetic marker we all share. And roughly a thousand years later, there was a primordial Adam, again with a certain mutation that ended up in all of us.

What I find fascinating about this is that, beyond the obvious and very final refuting of certain racist rhetoric, it would seem to also be sobering news indeed for Nationalists. How can someone cling proudly, for example, to being Irish, with the knowledge that first of all, Celts were almost identical to the Italic and Greco peoples who eventually became Greeks and Romans, and furthermore these Indo Europeans were at one point barely much different from the other Indo Europeans, the Slavs and Indians and Armenians and Persians and Germans, and furthermore all these Indo Europeans were at one point split off genetically from the non-nondescript people who originally left Africa. And other splits went the other way and became Mongols and walked across the land-bridge to the Americas.

In other words, the only true differences between us are purely cultural, and cultural differences are arbitrary: you wear pants, I wear a kilt, you play drums and dance naked, I worship my ancestors, he eats cow eyeballs, she loves democracy, they love hockey, we drink milk.

AAAAAAARGH

If I add up the time (I realize afterwards ) I've spent trying to gather world news, editorials from people who can tell me what to think about the world news, habs news, habs analysis from people who can tell me what to think about the habs, emerging-conversation news, articles by people who can tell me what to think about the emerging-conversation, music-biz news, criticism from writers who can tell me what music to like and dislike, and googling whatever odd periphery is burning my mind with cosmic intensity with the urge to investigate immediately, IT'S A LOT OF TIME.

By contrast if I add up all the moments (I realize afterwards) I feel aggravated, victimized, sorry-for-myself, and generally persecuted because I have neglected to spend time on the individual pursuits I really want to get on with in my life, my paintings, my songs, my writings, getting back into shape, THEY'RE A LOT OF MOMENTS.

And despite the fact that I've acknowledged the fact it recurs.

I am an INFORMATION JUNKY. The internet and news media is my SMACK. It is burying the substantive output of my life, and rendering me the static, non-contributing, unimaginative drone society likes me to be. And it is NOT HEALTHY.

AAAAAARRRRGHHHHHH