>>I remember a study I saw several years ago about the association between mental illness and reproduction in men and women, and basically everything was associated with a lower than average fertility rate except depression and maybe anxiety in women.
Whatever counts as crazy in mainstream modern Western society, will decrease fertility a…
>>I remember a study I saw several years ago about the association between mental illness and reproduction in men and women, and basically everything was associated with a lower than average fertility rate except depression and maybe anxiety in women.
Whatever counts as crazy in mainstream modern Western society, will decrease fertility and other measures of success in modern Western society. That is why we call it crazy. But Gene doesn't really live in mainstream modern Western society. He lives in some kind of subculture, where his craziness just fits. That is why he doesn't have a, diagnosis - in his subculture he is not a pitiful person needing a label, but an inspiring person in a prominent position. For that reason, he is not included in any study of fertility and mental health.
I'm sure that there are genes floating around just waiting to end up in such a (sub)culture. If they do often enough, they persist. Otherwise, they disappear. Mathematically, it should be that way. A big like r and K selection, as Brian Moore suggested in another comment.
>>I think this is one of those cases of survivorship bias.
I can't contradict you. This particular case can be survivorship bias. But in general, to some degree, there must be genes that depend more on a lucky strike now and then, and genes that depend on even and steady propagation. And I think that some of the genes that depend on occasional lucky strikes cause what is called "crazy" in some environments.
>>I remember a study I saw several years ago about the association between mental illness and reproduction in men and women, and basically everything was associated with a lower than average fertility rate except depression and maybe anxiety in women.
Whatever counts as crazy in mainstream modern Western society, will decrease fertility and other measures of success in modern Western society. That is why we call it crazy. But Gene doesn't really live in mainstream modern Western society. He lives in some kind of subculture, where his craziness just fits. That is why he doesn't have a, diagnosis - in his subculture he is not a pitiful person needing a label, but an inspiring person in a prominent position. For that reason, he is not included in any study of fertility and mental health.
I'm sure that there are genes floating around just waiting to end up in such a (sub)culture. If they do often enough, they persist. Otherwise, they disappear. Mathematically, it should be that way. A big like r and K selection, as Brian Moore suggested in another comment.
>>I think this is one of those cases of survivorship bias.
I can't contradict you. This particular case can be survivorship bias. But in general, to some degree, there must be genes that depend more on a lucky strike now and then, and genes that depend on even and steady propagation. And I think that some of the genes that depend on occasional lucky strikes cause what is called "crazy" in some environments.