> People forget that nature only optimizes for sexual reproduction and that’s pretty much it

Common misunderstanding.

Evolution optimizes for system success. Not individual gene propagation. Genomes are not agents with individual goals.

Many species, but especially social animals, have numerous behaviors and traits designed to prompt communal success rather than individual survival and reproduction

That's why it's best to sow plants as close to each other as possible, as they will help each other thrive. Or maybe that leads to famine and disaster, as it usually does when people try to apply their personal political beliefs to nature.

I struggle to see how that at all follows what I said

It may be more of a common over simplification than misunderstanding

Even saying it optimizes for system success is an oversimplification it just depends how far down the rabbit hole you want to go

My only intention was to communicate and stress that we aren’t “designed” in the way a lot of people think

But thanks for the clarification

Genomes have also no awareness, so they are perfectly selfish. It is closer to clockwork than an internet router.

They are not “selfish” with respect to the individual. They are selfish with respect to the system.