A lot of things are worth writing. The book Selfish Gene aroused my desire to know myself, which is a science far away from ordinary life and us.
I am closely related to myself.
Modern biology tells us that even our children and grandchildren can't really continue ourselves. Our bodies are just a group of temporary machines built by genome, which cooperate with each other and intrigue with each other to continue their own. In the biological world, they don't even constitute our own genome, but just genes. According to the model of sexual reproduction, our children can only inherit half of our genome. After several generations of transmission, the genetic relationship between us and our descendants may be similar to that between any stranger. [Selfish Gene] tells us that the bounden duty of genes is replication, and animals are just their survival machines and carriers. The life span of each carrier-animal individual is limited, but the life span of genes does not end with the death of individuals, and individuals are abandoned after completing their duties. Organisms are just tools for DNA to make more DNA. That is, chicken is just a way for eggs to regenerate eggs. Another natural feature of genes is selfishness. If they are not selfish but altruistic, they will be destroyed, so the surviving genes must be selfish, not altruistic. Therefore, gene is the basic unit of selfish behavior and the reason for selfish behavior at all levels of life movement. From this perspective, our life is very miserable. ...
In fact, however, it is not that serious, because in human society, the more important things handed down from generation to generation are cultural traditions and concepts, which bring people together. So Dawkins said that this public ideal should be realized through education. Although gene selfishness usually leads to selfish behavior of individuals, it sometimes leads to altruistic behavior of individuals. Darwin regarded the objects of natural selection as individuals of species in his theory of evolution. According to his view of "survival of the fittest", it is impossible to fully explain the altruistic behavior of animals. Dawkins believes that the basic unit of natural selection is not species, populations or groups, or even individuals and chromosomes, but genes, which are the basic units of genetic material. At the genetic level, it is easy to explain the altruistic behavior of animals. Dawkins gave many examples, and most of his explanations for these altruistic behaviors were convincing.
Dawkins explained to us in [selfish gene] that selfishness is the most basic feature of life, and most behaviors and traits of organisms are aimed at improving their fitness or improving the fitness of a gene that controls this trait. Even the altruistic behavior of creatures is based on their own interests, that is, helping others is helping others. Although the views expounded in the book are very convincing and the language is relatively easy to understand, it is a bit too pure as an academic thing after all. We can not completely believe or even worship it, but we can definitely be inspired somewhere and get a glimpse of many things that may not be noticed from a new perspective.