harrisonized Wrote:If depressives were more accurate, then genetically speaking, the depressives would have more survival value and therefore would be more likely to pass their genes to the next generation. Then we'd ALL be more depressed than we should be. (emotional state "can" be passed on, as evidenced from the fact that animals can be "domesticated" and be more passive rather than aggressive)
In addition, the "definition" of a depressive is someone who has lower self esteem and loss of interest in normally pleasurable activities. The key words here are "lower" and "normally". Who's to say that depressives aren't supposed to have such a state and that we're all just high (which would be an explanation of why we are more optimistic)?
depression does not improve your quality of life or survival value, but both quality of life and survival value have multiple factors and "accuracy of perception" is only one of them. as a person with diagnosed depression among other things (not liking this "depressive" term, harrisonized..am not "defined" by my depression) i experience reduced energy, lowered self-concept, etc that definitely far outweighs any benefit of "accuracy of perception."
but still think my basic initial perceptions are more accurate, even if just because i am more disconnected to other things. but due to other factors associated with depression, this does not mean i have better survival value, actually i probably don't.
on depression research, the body of literature is VAST. maybe reading some of it first would shed some light on what exactly you disagree with?