In criminology there’s this thing called the ”age-crime curve.” In all societies throughout history the tendency to engage in criminal activity increases rapidly in early adoloscence, peaks in early adulthood and then rapidly drops off throughout the 20s and 30s before leveling off in middle age.

But recent research shows this curve doesn’t just apply to criminal activity but to risk-taking behavior in general.  Risk-taking behavior is both public (noticed by many potential mates) and costly (not affordable by all sexual competitors). It gets noticed.

The relationship between age and productivity among male jazz musicians, painters, writers and scientists has now been plotted by scientists on what they call the “age-genius curve.” The curve is identical to the “age-crime curve.” For women in these same fields and in crime there is no across the board pattern to the relationship between their age and productivity – none – which leads scientists to believe men are the only ones doing this criminal and creative mating dance.

Why the difference? Monogamy messes with a man.

In a polygynic society a man doesn’t stop wooing once he’s found one mate.  The need to get noticed by the opposite sex by taking risks is lifelong.  Add to this the fact that every woman in a polygynic society is more likely to find a man (share a man) than a man is to find a woman (especially if that man is poor) and you have a recipe for lifelong productivity.  The man with many wives continues trying to attract women and the lonely guy continues to produce in hopes that his luck will change.

Lonely guys? Consider Muslim suicide bombers.  They’re almost always single.  They’re always from a society that tolerates polygyny.  They’re almost always poor and therefore their chances of attracting a mate in their society are slim.  (Research shows that in a polygynic society women tend towards men with wealth enough to share with multiple women.) They’re promised 72 virgins willing to “love” them for all eternity.  Add only two lines from the Koran advocating violence and a lonely guy in a Muslim polyginic tolerating society will engage in risk taking behavior, even suicide, if it increases his chances of not being alone anymore…scientists say.

Married guys? Consider Paul McCartney, they say.  He hasn’t written a hit in years and spends more time painting than singing these days.  (Researchers are apparently unaware that Sir Paul has a new album out, but I get their point.  It’s not very good.) Or, they say, look at Bill Gates.  He’s no longer an inventive computer whiz kid.  He’s a staid businessman and philanthropist.  Or J.D. Salinger.  He’s now a recluse and hasn’t published anything in three decades.  Orson Welles was 26 when he wrote, produced, directed and starred in Citizen Kane and then his career followed the curve, rapidly plummeting into lesser and lesser productivity.

A naturally risk-taking man with a mate in a monogamist society feels insignificant in part because his primary motivation for being productive has been nullified and his productivity is on the decline…and he knows it is but doesn’t know why.  Insignificance, after all, is the feeling that you or your actions have no purpose, no point, no value.

It gets worse. A man’s productivity and certainty of significance decrease as the size of his family and possessions increase.  The more a man has to lose the less he’s wiling to risk, and what would he risk family and possessions for anyway?  He has all his society’s told him he needs: one mate, kids, money, stuff.

That’s another theory.

Possibly Related Posts

Series: None
Tags: , , , ,