Quote · Modern Wisdom
The Uncomfortable Science Of Sex Differences - Steve Stewart-Williams - #1120
Where this was said
Why Women Outlive Men
At 2:17:58 · chapter starts 2:13:35
Stewart-Williams surveys the major physical health sex differences: men are more prone to cardiovascular disease, most cancers, and early death; women are more prone to immune disorders and pain conditions. The male mortality disadvantage is particularly stark — men die younger than women in the vast majority of cultures, including most where women face high maternal mortality. The mechanism becomes clear when you consider the Korean Joseon Dynasty eunuch data [1] — Chris Williamson "Eunuchs lived longer than intact men: Korean Joseon Dynasty eunuchs lived significantly longer than intact males of identical social standi…" 2:17:30 : eunuchs castrated before puberty lived significantly longer than intact males of identical social standing, directly implicating testosterone. Stewart-Williams points out we technically already have a known intervention to close the lifespan gap — it just comes with obvious drawbacks. Randy Nesse's evolutionary medicine calculation [2] — Chris Williamson "Curing male mortality gap > curing cancer: Evolutionary medicine researcher Randy Nesse calculated that if male mortality rates were reduce…" 2:18:38 lands as the most striking statistic in this section: if male mortality rates were reduced to female levels, more years of life would be saved than if cancer were entirely cured. The 88%/90% symmetry of Darwin Awards and Carnegie Hero Awards closes the section: male risk-taking cuts in both catastrophic and heroic directions with almost identical frequency.
Korean Joseon Dynasty eunuchs lived significantly longer than intact males of identical social standing, showing testosterone has a direct biological cost to male lifespan.
Evolutionary medicine researcher Randy Nesse calculated that if male mortality rates were reduced to female rates, more years of life would be saved than if cancer were cured entirely.
88% of Darwin Award winners (people who die through spectacular self-inflicted stupidity) are men, and 90% of Carnegie Hero Award recipients (people who risk their life to save a stranger) are also men.
