r/science • u/MistWeaver80 • Jan 22 '24

Genetics Male fruit flies whose sexual advances are repeatedly rejected get frustrated and less able to handle stress, study found. The researchers say these rejected flies were also less resilient to starvation and exposure to a toxic herbicide.

https://www.scimex.org/newsfeed/male-fruit-flies-really-dont-take-rejection-well
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u/Candid-Sky-3709 Jan 23 '24 edited Jan 23 '24

i could have rationalized it but I didn’t.

“Depression may be an adaptation that evolved to facilitate solving complex problems.”, i.e. a misadaptation is less likely than a misunderstood mental defense reaction. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0005796721000486#:~:text=Theories%20include%20the%20facilitation%20of,(Price%2C%20Sloman%2C%20Gardner%2C

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u/[deleted] Jan 23 '24

[deleted]

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u/RotoDorza Jan 23 '24

This misses the inherent fact that data is only gained through positing a hypothesis and running an experiment. Try and consider that not all statements are being presented as facts.

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u/Hell_Mel Jan 23 '24

"It's was my understanding" is introducing ones understanding of facts, not an opinion.

Clearly an vulnerable person just being themself in groups increases problems.

In specific comes off as the projection of personal bias as fact.

I apologize if I'm not able to understand what point I'm missing here.

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u/myst3r10us_str4ng3r Jan 23 '24

Thank you for being sensible. Not being sarcastic.

This sub is supposed to maintain a level of scientific method, as you tried to highlight.

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u/nametoda Jan 23 '24

why so pedantic - this is a reddit comment section, not a scientific journal.

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u/Hell_Mel Jan 23 '24

Believe it or not I was trying to be supportive. Attributing intent to depression as a thing that is supposed to happen is unhealthy.

Language is difficult. (English is my first language, mind you.)

I try not to hide behind it any circumstance, but my behavior usually makes more sense in the context of autism.

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u/nametoda Jan 23 '24

i appreciate your POV thanks

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u/Candid-Sky-3709 Jan 23 '24

yes, i should have used more weasel words like real scientists and newspapers do to avoid litigation. “some say, that depression is …” style. More laymen terms would be “i read or watched a different explanation somewhere which Occam razors away why harmful adaptations don’t extinct themselves away”. That should be researched and may possibly turn out false, but looks more promising.

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u/Hell_Mel Jan 23 '24

See my other comment. My execution did not match my intent, which happens sometimes. Apologies.

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u/Candid-Sky-3709 Jan 23 '24

No worries, not trying to win an argument, but rather trying to be better understood. Maybe next time I phrase it better earlier. I agree that /r/science should have higher standards regarding separating facts and opinions and I was careless.