The reproductive benefits of polygyny were so great for genes located in male bodies that the male mind might still have evolved to take advantage of those opportunities, if and when they did arise. As a result, men may harbor strong polygamous desires — much stronger than women’s — even if these desires are frustrated for most men throughout most of their lives.

— Steve Stewart-Williams The Ape that Kicked the Hornet's Nest (2013)

More quotes by Steve Stewart-Williams

The Ape That Understood the Universe: How the Mind and Culture Evolve (2018)

The Ape That Understood the Universe: How the Mind and Culture Evolve (2018)

The Ape That Understood the Universe: How the Mind and Culture Evolve (2018)

A Billion Years of Sex Differences: How Evolution Shaped the Minds of Men and Women (2026)

Darwin, God and the Meaning of Life: How Evolutionary Theory Undermines Everything You Think You Know (2010)

Quote text and notes from Wikiquote: Steve Stewart-Williams (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source quality and labels are our own summary of what Wikiquote records.