Re: viruses? (wild speculation about STDs)

From: Zeb Haradon (zharadon@inconnect.com)
Date: Tue Jan 25 2000 - 00:34:02 MST


-----Original Message-----
From: Eugene Leitl <eugene.leitl@lrz.uni-muenchen.de>
To: extropians@extropy.com <extropians@extropy.com>
Date: Monday, January 24, 2000 8:39 PM
Subject: Re: viruses?

>
>Some of the viruses are probably beneficial, at least on the long run
>(coevolution boosts fitness).

On a related point, I was speculating recently on the possible evolution of
a sexually transmitted disease which boosts the libido and vitality of
infected individuals. This would make much more sense then the current
strains, which harm sexual success of the victim by covering the afflicted
area with unsightly and painful sores, thus limiting their own infection
success. It would seem that an STD which resulted in higher sex drive and
which someone made the infected individual better looking would be an
incredibly successful STD. I then started to wonder if this has perhaps
already happened, and the virus is now just considered a part of normal
human biology, or perhaps incorporated into the genome.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Zeb Haradon
My personal website:
http://www.inconnect.com/~zharadon/ubunix/
A movie I'm directing:
http://www.elevatormovie.com



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