Beer Drinking Networks In Amazon Tribe Help Explain Altruism

KentuckyFC writes "The Tsimane tribe are hunter-gatherers living in the forested region between the foothills of the Andes and the wetland-savannas of the Llanos de Moxos in Bolivia. They drink beer made from boiled manioc (a type of sweet potato) which they chew and spit into the mix to trigger fermentation. After a week or so, the resultant brew is about 4 per cent alcohol. Now anthropologists studying this tribe say the way they host beer drinking events for each other offers important clues into their culture. At issue is the question of altruism: why people spend considerable time and effort doing favors for others that don't directly benefit them. The answer from studying these beer drinking events is that the favor is quickly returned by the guests in the form of another beer drinking event. This helps to build good relations with neighbors and family. And when the beer drinking invite is not returned, the researchers speculate that this is probably because there is some other favor involved, such as helping to gather or prepare food, suggesting mates or political co-operation."

Explain how?

[jbmartin6]

I don't see how this explains altruism, this explains self interest. It's no different than chimps taking turns picking lice off each other. (Disclaimer: I had chimp-like ancestors. Also, I am not saying chimps and the people in TFA are equivalent). Altruism is jumping on a live hand grenade, or taking on a predator while the rest of the troop flees.

Re:Do you wan't to know how you can tell a Queer?

[ah.clem]

I'm not certain I see the positive point of this comment; personally, it just seems like bashing to me. Perhaps you meant it as a joke? Still, at what point do we stop picking on people for being different? As IT workers, we're the brunt of a lot of "less than funny" jokes; why continue that practice on another group? I just don't understand it.

Re:Do you wan't to know how you can tell a Queer?

[Chrisq]

Sorry it was meant as a joke. I apologise if I offended you

Re:It's not altruism if a favor is expected in ret

[sudon't]

Doing something for someone else with no expectation of it being returned is altruism.

I agree with that. It seems little different than the "round buying" that goes on in bars/pubs. When one buys a round, there's a reasonable expectation that everyone in the group will in turn buy a round. Unless you have a guy like Bob, who's always broke, but he's very entertaining to drink with, and a good guy. I guess we're buying him rounds for entertainment and companionship, so even that's not pure altruism.

Because the Tsimane don't have local bars, and making up a batch of brew is such a pain, it looks like they came up with a way to take turns being treated so that one is treated more often than one has to treat. Hardly altruism.