What trait do you think you most inherited from one of your ancestors and why?

Started by GBaxter, November 24, 2017, 02:37:24 AM

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Unbeliever

The only trait I know of that I inherited from any ancestors I may have had is this thing called life. Other than that, I'm a self-made man...
God Not Found
"There is a sucker born-again every minute." - C. Spellman

Baruch

Quote from: Unbeliever on December 14, 2017, 06:27:21 PM
The only trait I know of that I inherited from any ancestors I may have had is this thing called life. Other than that, I'm a self-made man...

Individualists (sociopaths) think that ... at least that they are completely independent of contemporaries ... and for awhile, your parents were contemporaries .. and in a string back in time.  You were never alone, and never will be.  A leaf without the tree is compost.
Ha’át’íísh baa naniná?
Azee’ Å,a’ish nanídį́į́h?
Táadoo ánít’iní.
What are you doing?
Are you taking any medications?
Don't do that.

Cavebear

Quote from: Baruch on December 14, 2017, 09:22:05 PM
Individualists (sociopaths) think that ... at least that they are completely independent of contemporaries ... and for awhile, your parents were contemporaries .. and in a string back in time.  You were never alone, and never will be.  A leaf without the tree is compost.

Being an individualist is not the same as being a sociopath.  You mistake "normalcy" as being "herd mentality". 

Regarding parents, in some ways, I am like them.  I'm close with money.  They grew up during The Great Depression and I was the eldest child.  They influenced me greatly.

But in the last decade, as they died (not "passed" - to stay solid to a previous point) I came to realize I was myself.  And MY money was not theirs.  Not like I'm going on a fancy travel cruise, but I think I may buy new furniture.  What I have is hand-me-downs and what I would like is some seriously solid oak furniture and a nice reclining chair.

I think I'll go shopping.

And let me say this.  Mom died in 2010, Dad in 2014, and it is just now occurring to me that I am no longer a "son".  I have no parents now.  Their lives are only in my memory...
Atheist born, atheist bred.  And when I die, atheist dead!

Baruch

That is a common experience, particularly for older people.  Our parents usually hope we outlive them.  But your money ... sounds like you want to build a pyramid and take it with you.  Give more to Walmart etc ... our Chinese slave laborers will thank you.  Sorry you are lonely, glad you have cats.
Ha’át’íísh baa naniná?
Azee’ Å,a’ish nanídį́į́h?
Táadoo ánít’iní.
What are you doing?
Are you taking any medications?
Don't do that.

Cavebear

Quote from: Baruch on December 15, 2017, 05:19:38 AM
That is a common experience, particularly for older people.  Our parents usually hope we outlive them.  But your money ... sounds like you want to build a pyramid and take it with you.  Give more to Walmart etc ... our Chinese slave laborers will thank you.  Sorry you are lonely, glad you have cats.

I buy from Walmart the brand items I want that they sell cheaper than other stores.  I buy from other stores the items they sell that are of better quality.  I am a Consumer Reports devotee. 

I learned that buying the best is better in the long run and Walmart doesn't sell the best stuff.  But that the same brand of cat litter is cheaper at Walmart.

So it depends on what you need. 
Atheist born, atheist bred.  And when I die, atheist dead!

PopeyesPappy

The mangos taste like soap gene. I got it from mom. She thinks mangos taste like soap. My sister thinks mangos taste like soap. I think mangos taste like soap. Dad and my brother both love mangos.
Save a life. Adopt a Greyhound.

Cavebear

Quote from: PopeyesPappy on December 18, 2017, 06:45:19 AM
The mangos taste like soap gene. I got it from mom. She thinks mangos taste like soap. My sister thinks mangos taste like soap. I think mangos taste like soap. Dad and my brother both love mangos.

I like mangos well enough. But they are a pain to carve off the seed...  Every tinme I buy one, I swear I won't do it again.  But I do love fresh fruit.
Atheist born, atheist bred.  And when I die, atheist dead!

trdsf

Quote from: PopeyesPappy on December 18, 2017, 06:45:19 AM
The mangos taste like soap gene. I got it from mom. She thinks mangos taste like soap. My sister thinks mangos taste like soap. I think mangos taste like soap. Dad and my brother both love mangos.
As a matter of curiosity, do you find that artificial sweeteners also do?  My zero-calorie options are profoundly limited because every single one tastes awful to me, from good ol' sodium saccharine through 'all natural' stevia.  Aspartame and Sucralose are the worst; they can even trigger headaches.
"My faith in the Constitution is whole, it is complete, it is total, and I am not going to sit here and be an idle spectator to the diminution, the subversion, the destruction of the Constitution." -- Barbara Jordan

Cavebear

Quote from: trdsf on December 18, 2017, 10:46:54 AM
As a matter of curiosity, do you find that artificial sweeteners also do?  My zero-calorie options are profoundly limited because every single one tastes awful to me, from good ol' sodium saccharine through 'all natural' stevia.  Aspartame and Sucralose are the worst; they can even trigger headaches.

Your comment wasn't directed at me, BUT:

I think of we humans evolutionarily.  We are evolved omnivores.   I basically eat about 4 oz of meat per day, a lot of varied veggies, salads, and fresh fruit.  I just like those.  On the other hand, I can't abide fish or coffee.
Atheist born, atheist bred.  And when I die, atheist dead!

PopeyesPappy

Quote from: trdsf on December 18, 2017, 10:46:54 AM
As a matter of curiosity, do you find that artificial sweeteners also do?  My zero-calorie options are profoundly limited because every single one tastes awful to me, from good ol' sodium saccharine through 'all natural' stevia.  Aspartame and Sucralose are the worst; they can even trigger headaches.

I don't like artificial sweeteners, but they don't have the same mango = soap taste. Interestingly enough though this condition seems to be related to a similar dislike of cilantro. Whenever I run into someone who doesn't like mango and/or cilantro I ask them about the other. More times than not they don't like both.
Save a life. Adopt a Greyhound.

Cavebear

Quote from: PopeyesPappy on December 18, 2017, 12:17:46 PM
I don't like artificial sweeteners, but they don't have the same mango = soap taste. Interestingly enough though this condition seems to be related to a similar dislike of cilantro. Whenever I run into someone who doesn't like mango and/or cilantro I ask them about the other. More times than not they don't like both.

I've heard about that.  I guess I'm lucky.  Or maybe that's the same thing as not liking fish oils or coffee. In either case, I suppose everyone has some odor or taste they JUST DON'T LIKE.
Atheist born, atheist bred.  And when I die, atheist dead!

PopeyesPappy

Quote from: Cavebear on December 18, 2017, 02:29:54 PM
I've heard about that.  I guess I'm lucky.  Or maybe that's the same thing as not liking fish oils or coffee. In either case, I suppose everyone has some odor or taste they JUST DON'T LIKE.

There's probably more to it than just like it or don't like it. At least one study has been done on the cilantro thing. In that study 24% of the participants didn't like cilantro. Almost all of them had the same mutation of a gene related to olfactory senses. No one that said they liked it had that particular mutation. The mutation in question was apparently found in all ethnic groups that were tested, but it was more prevalent in people of western European decent. If you have that particular mutation cilantro tastes different than it does to people without it. I suspect my mango thing is related if not the same gene.
Save a life. Adopt a Greyhound.

Cavebear

Quote from: PopeyesPappy on December 18, 2017, 03:56:50 PM
There's probably more to it than just like it or don't like it. At least one study has been done on the cilantro thing. In that study 24% of the participants didn't like cilantro. Almost all of them had the same mutation of a gene related to olfactory senses. No one that said they liked it had that particular mutation. The mutation in question was apparently found in all ethnic groups that were tested, but it was more prevalent in people of western European decent. If you have that particular mutation cilantro tastes different than it does to people without it. I suspect my mango thing is related if not the same gene.

I wasn't suggesting it wasn't genetic.  Cow milk is a great example.  I can drink it all day if I want to.  I'm European.  There might be something similar with fish and coffee for me. set in some place in Europe that had neither. 

I should check about Cilantro...
Atheist born, atheist bred.  And when I die, atheist dead!

Baruch

Quote from: Cavebear on December 18, 2017, 04:02:12 PM
I wasn't suggesting it wasn't genetic.  Cow milk is a great example.  I can drink it all day if I want to.  I'm European.  There might be something similar with fish and coffee for me. set in some place in Europe that had neither. 

I should check about Cilantro...

Being able to stomach cow milk as a child, was decisive for proto-IndoEuropean conquests.  That gave a big boost to infant mortality survival.
Ha’át’íísh baa naniná?
Azee’ Å,a’ish nanídį́į́h?
Táadoo ánít’iní.
What are you doing?
Are you taking any medications?
Don't do that.

Unbeliever

Quote from: Baruch on December 15, 2017, 05:19:38 AM
That is a common experience, particularly for older people.  Our parents usually hope we outlive them.  But your money ... sounds like you want to build a pyramid and take it with you.  Give more to Walmart etc ... our Chinese slave laborers will thank you.  Sorry you are lonely, glad you have cats.
I don't they there is any such thing as "my money" or "your money" - it all belongs to the holy shareholders and their banks.
God Not Found
"There is a sucker born-again every minute." - C. Spellman