Darwin’s theory of natural selection (and let’s not get into
the whole evolution debate again) is well accepted by biologists. Certain physical
traits become either more or less common in a population as a function of
differential reproduction of their forbearers. These are the result of changing
environments and then certain physical traits are considered preferable to others
and those individuals that exhibit them are more likely to survive and prosper.
Those individuals which do not display the particular trait then do not
prosper, and are then destined to die out over time. This is termed ‘fitness’. The
result of this process is that the particular trait becomes stronger in each successive
generation in that particular area which has that particular environment to
which that trait is considered beneficial.
Darwin first noticed this particular characteristic amongst
finches on the voyage of the HMS Beagle in 1859. These particular finches were
found on the Galápagos Islands. The different environments on the different
islands results in 13 distinctive finch species which are closely related but
have different beak forms as a result of their different food sources. Modern
evolutionary theory has developed from this concept of natural selection and defines
fitness not by how long an organism lives, but by how successful it is at
reproducing. If an organism lives half as long as others of its species, but
has twice as many offspring surviving to adulthood, its genes will become more
common in the adult population of the next generation.
If we look at the modern man and the environment we live in,
it will be expected that certain physical traits will also develop to help us
survive in our particular environment. Much of the differences in physical
features found between different racial groups are a result of where our forbearers
lived, and these features are still displayed in our current generations. Whilst
racial differences are obvious to any observer, there are perhaps more subtle
differences between individuals from certain areas within a larger, defining
racial group.
I was observing people in Sandton yesterday afternoon and it
struck me how many good looking people were about. This was at Village Walk in
the heart of the business district. It has been shown by social science
research that good looking people are more likely to get higher paying jobs
than unattractive people. That area of Sandton probably has some of the highest
average salaries in South Africa, and the work-place is an obvious meeting
place for future mating opportunities. It would thus seem obvious that the
percentage of attractive people producing offspring from the Sandton area would
be higher than areas of lower income groups.
The same trend of accumulation of attractive people could
also be found in other areas of the country, the Platinum Mile of Cape Town,
Plettenberg Bay and Balito. These areas are not characterised by higher income
earning potential, but as they are highly desirable areas to live only people
of considerable wealth can afford to live there. These accumulations of
attractive people in certain distinct geographical areas could thus result in
new racial groups which would be significantly more attractive than those
groups from lower income or less desirable areas. Ultimately this new racial
group could consider themselves superior to the unattractive people and isolate
themselves completely in their own geographical areas to prevent association
and possible mating with unattractive people.
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