ABSTRACT
In the previous chapter, I argued that we are a polymorphic species; that is, we differ from each other in a consistent fitness-relevant way. This has significant implications for constructing a theoretical perspective that can guide toward a life of a high ratio of positive to negative feelings. In particular, achieving high fitness is the one single life direction that leads to a high ratio; still, because everyone is different, there is no single path that goes in this direction. To find your own path you need to identify first who you are; that is, what is your morph. In addition, because we are a social species, walking the path toward higher fitness inevitably includes other people—people who can increase, decrease, or be neutral to your fitness. Accordingly, successfully walking the path requires being able to identify who others are, that is, what kind of morphs they are. It requires also being able to accept who you are, and the fact that you are different from others, and that others are different from you. This chapter aims to examine these issues in detail.
