Linda's Blogspot

  To understand Jeffrey Martin Dickemann’s place in history, one must look at the "Sociobiology Wars" of the 1970s. This was one of the most explosive periods in 20th-century academia, and Dickemann was right at the center of it. Jeffrey Dickemann - formerly [Mildred Dickemann]  ​ The Sociobiology Controversy (1975–1985) ​When E.O. Wilson published Sociobiology: The New Synthesis in 1975, it sparked a firestorm. Critics, led by Stephen Jay Gould and Richard Lewontin, argued that applying evolutionary biology to human behavior was "biological determinism" that could be used to justify racism, sexism, and social inequality. ​Dickemann’s Strategic Position ​Unlike many who retreated from the heat, Dickemann leaned in. He argued that understanding the biological roots of behavior was the only way to actually solve social inequality. ​ The "Naturalistic Fallacy" Defense: Dickemann was quick to point out that just because a behavior (like infanticide) mi...

​Jeffrey Martin Dickemann ​{{Infobox scientist | name              = Jeffrey Martin Dickemann | birth_name        = Mildred Dickemann | birth_date        = September 19, 1929 | death_date        = 2021 | nationality       = American | fields            = [[Anthropology]], [[Human behavioral ecology]], [[Sociobiology]] | workplaces        = [[Sonoma State University]] | alma_mater        = [[University of California, Berkeley]] | doctoral_advisor  = | known_for         = [[Hypergyny]], [[Female infanticide]], [[Balkan sworn virgin]]s, Evolutionary views on [[Homosexuality]] }} ​ Jeffrey Martin Dickemann (born ...

​Jeffrey Martin Dickemann ​ Jeffrey Martin Dickemann (born Mildred Dickemann; September 19, 1929 – 2021) was an American anthropologist and Professor Emeritus at Sonoma State University. He was a foundational figure in Human Behavioral Ecology (HBE) and sociobiology, recognized for applying Darwinian evolutionary theory to complex human social structures, reproductive strategies, and gender roles. ​Biography ​Dickemann earned his Ph.D. in Anthropology from the University of California, Berkeley in 1958. His early academic career focused on traditional ethnography and linguistics, particularly among Indigenous groups in North America. ​By the 1970s, he became a central figure in the "Darwinian Anthropology" movement. Along with peers like Napoleon Chagnon and William Irons, Dickemann sought to demonstrate that human cultural traits—even those appearing "maladaptive" or purely "traditional"—could be explained as adaptive strategies for maximizing rep...

We  cannot medicate our way out of a cultural collapse. Why Culture Tames What Medicine Cannot Elders Over Influencers: Reclaiming the Narrative for the Next Generation The Taming Force: Why Mentorship, Not Molecules, is the Answer for NYC’s Youth ​If the problem is that youth are being raised in an environment saturated with sex, violence, and a lack of respect, then introducing a powerful mind-altering substance is like pouring gasoline on a fire. Without the right "container," it can actually make the "acting out" worse. ​ Why a Drug Isn't the Answer ​There are three main reasons why your skepticism is backed by both logic and sociology: ​ The "Passive" Trap: Treating behavior with a drug suggests the child is a "broken machine" that needs a chemical fix. It removes agency . True "taming" and "civil behavior" come from an active choice to follow a moral code, not a passive reaction to a pill. ​ The Environment Wi...

  Beyond the Molecule: Why Culture, Not Chemistry, Tames the "Trickster" in Our Youth ​For nearly a century, the Western world has treated psychedelic substances as a "jagged trip"—swinging from elite experimentation to mass-culture explosion, followed by decades of prohibition. Today, as we enter a new era of serious scientific exploration led by institutions like UC Berkeley’s Center for the Science of Psychedelics , the conversation often centers on the "miracle" of the molecule. ​However, in the shadow of New York City’s skyscrapers, a different crisis is unfolding. We see a generation of youth "acting out"—disruptive, disconnected, and increasingly shaped by a digital and physical landscape defined by hyper-sexualization and violence. While scientists like Dr. Gül Dölen and Professor Michael Silver offer groundbreaking insights into the brain, their research points toward a truth that Indigenous cultures have known for millennia: A drug ...

The Hidden Rivers of Human Life Lately, I’ve been noticing something profound about how humans organize themselves. The Anthropologist Mildred Dickemann’s work has made me see it clearly: even when we speak of unity, we are constantly moving through hierarchies. And these hierarchies are not random—they flow like rivers and branch like trees. Think of a river. It begins as a single stream, but soon divides into smaller channels, creating a network of tributaries, each carving its own path while still connected to the main flow. Human social life works much the same way.  Large groups split into smaller clusters or cliques, each with its own patterns, norms, and subtle leaders. Ideas, influence, and attention flow through these channels, sometimes merging, sometimes diverging, shaping the landscape of our interactions. Or think of a tree. Its trunk rises from the ground, solid and central, yet from it branch countless limbs, each dividing into smaller branches and twigs. Hierarchies...