Trump hypothesizes genetic basis for murderous behavior among human populations

[Warden_of_the_Storm]

Maybe. All I know is that once upon a time, it was normal to leave your keys in the ignition with the windows down when you walked into a store... You don't see that anymore.

Survivorship bias. Just because YOU could see that as a normal historical occurrence, doesn't mean that it was the same everywhere.

 

[AV1611VET]

Maybe. All I know is that once upon a time, it was normal to leave your keys in the ignition with the windows down when you walked into a store... You don't see that anymore.

Yup.

 

[AV1611VET]

Survivorship bias. Just because YOU could see that as a normal historical occurrence, doesn't mean that it was the same everywhere.

He's right.

People did that at one time.

Pull up to the store, get out, leave the windows down and your keys in the ignition.

 

[FenderTL5]

People did that at one time.
Pull up to the store, get out, leave the windows down and your keys in the ignition.

It's still done today.
Whether or not the vehicle will still be there when one returns is a matter of statistical odds.

The majority of stolen cars are unlocked:
Unlocked doors: According to Tulane Public Safety, 80% of stolen vehicles are left unlocked.
Keys in the ignition: 40% of car thefts occur when the keys are left in the ignition.
Thieves find keys: Offenders often find keys or fobs left inside vehicles to start the engine.

 

[Tropical Wilds]

I see a lot of you missed the “nature vs. nurture” portion of high school biology…

 

[essentialsaltes]

Can a tendency to steal sometimes be genetically passed on? Because we didn't used to have shaving cream behind locked glass doors at the store... Now all of a sudden we do. What happened?

Fixation of a hypothetical shaving cream-stealing gene in a population of humans would require many generations.

 

[Hans Blaster]

Can a tendency to steal sometimes be genetically passed on? Because we didn't used to have shaving cream behind locked glass doors at the store... Now all of a sudden we do. What happened?

As best I can tell the overprotective security procedures used for a bizarre range of products are due to understaffing of stores. It is apparently counterproductive as many possible customers just walk out to go to a different store.

So, no, it does not indicate a genetic proclivity to theft. Even if such a thing existed (a genetic tie to theft) the change would not be observable by a member (you) of the same species under the evolutionary pressure. Evolutionary changes work on the scale of generations.

 

[Astrid]

In the middle of a rant about immigration, Trump said, "We got a lot of bad genes in our country." His campaign said later that "bad genes" was only in reference to murderers.

“Many of them murdered far more than one person, and they’re now happily living in the United States,” he added. “You know, now a murderer, I believe this, it’s in their genes. And we got a lot of bad genes in our country right now.

You are reading in more than is there
The word “rant” gives away your bias and intent.

 

[essentialsaltes]

You are reading in more than is there

In a statement, the Trump campaign defended his comments, saying he was speaking only about murderers, not immigrants.

"President Trump was clearly referring to murderers, not migrants," said Trump campaign press secretary Karoline Leavitt.

 

[Warden_of_the_Storm]

He's right.

People did that at one time.

Pull up to the store, get out, leave the windows down and your keys in the ignition.

But again: it's a classic example of survivorship bias. Just because you had good experiences, doesn't mean everyone else did.

 

[AV1611VET]

But again: it's a classic example of survivorship bias. Just because you had good experiences, doesn't mean everyone else did.

In the years before that, people left their horses unattended.

 

[Warden_of_the_Storm]

In the years before that, people left their horses unattended.

And yet people still stole horses. People stole cattle, sheep, stole other people's possessions. People in the past committed crimes.

 

[AV1611VET]

People in the past committed crimes.

Animals, weren't they!?

 

[Warden_of_the_Storm]

Animals, weren't they!?

Humans.

 

[essentialsaltes]

Animals, weren't they!?

Homo sapiens is categorized within the animal kingdom.

 

[AV1611VET]

Humans.

Sinners, actually.

 

[Warden_of_the_Storm]

Sinners, actually.

But still humans.

 

[AV1611VET]

Homo sapiens is categorized within the animal kingdom.

Yes, I know.

It's no wonder animals won't speak to us.

 

[AV1611VET]

But still humans.

Brute beasts!

 

[Warden_of_the_Storm]

Brute beasts!

You done being needlessly melodramatic and accept that the people who do these are people just like you and me? Or are you going to continue to act like a child?