The reason we form networks is because the benefits of a connected life outweigh the costs. It's to our advantage as individuals and a species to assemble ourselves in this fashion.
Nicholas A. ChristakisRead
It used to be thought that our genes were historically immutable and that it was not possible to imagine a conversation between culture and genetics.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote suggests that previously, genes were considered unchangeable and separate from cultural influences.
Nicholas A. Christakis highlights a shift in understanding regarding the relationship between genetics and culture. Historically, it was believed that our genetic makeup was fixed and that culture had no impact on it. However, emerging perspectives suggest that there is a dynamic interaction between our genetic predispositions and the cultural contexts in which we live, leading to a more nuanced understanding of human development.
Themes
GenesCultureGeneticsInteractionMutable
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about the impact of cultural practices on health, one might quote Christakis to emphasize the interplay of genes and environment.
More from Nicholas A. Christakis
All quotes βThere are very fundamental reasons we live our lives in social networks, and if we really understood the role they're playing in our society, we would take better care of social networks and find ways to take advantage of their power to improve our society.
Nicholas A. ChristakisRead
Social media and the Internet haven't changed our capacity for social interaction any more than the Internet has changed our ability to be in love or our basic propensity to violence, because those are such fundamental human attributes.
Nicholas A. ChristakisRead
Whether we appreciate it or not, we live out our lives surrounded by an intricate pattern of social connections... We're all embedded in this network; it affects us profoundly and we may be unaware of its existence, of its effect on us.
Nicholas A. ChristakisRead
We and others have done a bunch of work to show that if your real friends online say or do something, it affects you. But if your acquaintances online say or do something, it does not. People on average have about 106 Facebook friends, but only 5 or 6 real friends.
Nicholas A. ChristakisRead
It is well to look around at whom, and not just what, surrounds us. Population structure will change everything. Our health, wealth, and peace depend on it.
Nicholas A. ChristakisRead
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