Maybe at times in the past, leisure was used to save energy but over time our society has molded leisure more of a way to clear your mind and take a break from stress, even if we do in fact have enough energy. That is just one example, my thoughts on this are that there are three types of attributes, 1) Originated in the primitive times and has stayed fairly the same through history (Food). 2) Originated in primitive times but has evolved and has lost or has distanced itself from its original meaning for survival. 3) Has originated in modern times where survival isn't as big of a priority.

When do you think survival became less of a problem? I mean the time in which we weren't hulking brutish animals that our only goal in life was to survive. Even in ancient times we weren't as barabric and primal and even had standards and decencies. Do you think from that time up until now we could have evolved and adapted into a lifestyle the is becoming increasing less focused on survival.

Yeah. That is an interesting idea. It's not entirely impossible. I didn't think of that.
I just think that the brain is a physical organ can't can't really have changed.
But maybe it does not have to. The causes of happiness could be determined by culture and the influence of out environment, like other behavior is.
I mean, someone is not dark-haired because his parents taught him that, but he is friendly or not because they did.
Our physiological bodies, that could not have changed so fast, could be more of a framework for changeable attributes, that are adapting to our environment. And reasons for happiness are not just set in stone, they would evolve. It would be a great way to be adaptable.
Am I being unclear? Was that what you meant?

I see what your saying but maybe not our physical brain has chnaged but more of our mental values and mentality has changed mostly due what our society has shaped us to be. And yes i think you captures what my position on this subject is.

I am proposing that due to our societies, cultures, and enviroments our brains have went trough a mental evoltuion, not so much a physical evolution. Our values, ideas, thinking process, ect. have evolved to adapt to today's society and what values our society imposes on us.

@ the last few posts.
Interesting idea, but how can humans have changed in that short amount of time?
Evolution happens over millions of years, even mankind 500.000 years ago was not that different from what we are today.
And you two are telling me than changes in lifestyle in the last 1000... 2000... 3000 years have evolved human kind?
I like to know how that works out?

Cheers.

I don't believe that the human brain has changed. We still have the stone age brains of our ancestors. What has changed are our societies, cultures, and values. I don't think that Yogi is saying that the brain has physically changed. If he is saying that then I strongly disagree. He calls it mental evolution, and understandably that is a misleading term because it seems to allude to the idea that the brain has changed, seeing that the mind is a holistic term used to describe the functional properties of the brain. The more correct term that is used to describe this phenomenon is called socio-cultural evolution.

The ability to socio-cultural evolution without physical evolution would imply that the reasons for our happiness are adaptable.
So to say that reasons for happiness are not "hardcoded" with our physical nature, but changeable with culture and the influence of out environment.
Happiness would be a choice.

I don't believe that the human brain has changed. We still have the stone age brains of our ancestors. What has changed are our societies, cultures, and values. I don't think that Yogi is saying that the brain has physically changed. If he is saying that then I strongly disagree. He calls it mental evolution, and understandably that is a misleading term because it seems to allude to the idea that the brain has changed, seeing that the mind is a holistic term used to describe the functional properties of the brain. The more correct term that is used to describe this phenomenon is called socio-cultural evolution.

No i am not saying that there is a physcial change going on in the brain more of a mental change, but certainly a definitive one.

No i am not saying that there is a physcial change going on in the brain more of a mental change, but certainly a definitive one.

Happiness is the tendency of a being to have its appetites and intentions fulfilled. It is the state of mind representative of contentment, satisfaction, pleasure, or joy.