FRIENDSHIP: How Covid tests the ties that bind
Books that shine a light on friendship and why we’re so anxious today
01 July 2021 - 05:00
"It’s like he wants to be friends with the whole world," said a fellow dogwalker, as we smiled at my mutt’s wagging tail.
From wolves to dogs, so too for us. Friendliness has been a fundamental ingredient in our evolution. Duke University anthropologist Brian Hare believes that Homo sapiens survived through "prosociality". Amicability was important not only for co-operation, but also as the vital adaptive attribute allowing the species to prosper. This, in turn, facilitated cognitive development, including language. "Friendliness as a trait translates into a winning evolutionary strategy," Hare notes...
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