While this is true, we should never forget that we are the one animal with the capability to move beyond this. Through conscious effort, you can overcome many of the artifacts of evolution that run contrary to your happiness in the world in which we live in now. It's not easy, and it's never complete, but you can continuously improve yourself.

How long until the Matt Maroon's Overcome Evolution DVD set is released? :-)

It will come out precisely 1 month after he gets 100 people to sign up on the hypothetical teaser page committing to buy it for $20, sight unseen. Once enough signups, he can design and produce the DVD, etc. That would be the smart/lazy approach. :)

Hahaha. Classic.

Don't know why you're getting downvoted. Matt's point is completely correct that we can transcend our biology, but it's a MASSIVELY powerful force and constantly underestimated by people. I think people just don't like the idea that the default behavior of most people is hardwired and unpleasant.

Also, the HN crowd probably underestimates how much the average person makes knee jerk decisions based on evolutionarily-driven intuition - this community is very conscious, reflective, thinking. It's easy for people surrounded by the best, brightest, most thinking, most analyzing people to forget that the vast majority of people aren't that way.

We are certainly influenced by them, but we don't have to be controlled by them,