Civilization

[Roy Taylor]

The great breakthrough in human evolution, the one that made civilization possible, was the discovery that two alpha males could for intense bonds of ur-brotherhood instead of the normal pattern of fighting until one is dead or driven away. It is the story of Gilgamesh and Enkidu - a man will plunge into hell for his friend. Thus, the male DNA is tricked into sacrificing itself to the benefit of unrelated DNA; story triumphs over instinct; the monogamous civitas triumphs over the paternalistic tribe. Instead of one alpha male reproducing his superior genes over and over again, a far higher proportion of males reproduce, even though some die in war. All because human males learned to trick themselves into loving each other to the point of suicidal madness.
Orson Scott Card
Empire