Quote Originally Posted by StormSurge View Post
You have some valid points, a lot of them. Yet, I believe that it was just survival instinct, telling those peoples that it would be more beneficial to not fight some, for risk of losing their own lives. What could be taken by force usually was, but what couldn't was obtained through diplomacy. Both are instincts for survival, to obtain neccessities, yet two sides of the same coin.

For example, you are in a large alliance, with many many resources, and are very heavily defended, while I have a small standing army. I cannot take it by force, so I join the alliance, and ask for your assistance. I get what I need.
But it would have been taken by force had I been of the capacity to do it. It's instinct which tells you when to use peace, and when to use force.
And that sir is why I believe that we are very complicated and that both specific scenarios we pointed out were running through early mans minds when they encountered new groups.

Meaning that both instincts are possessed within man and the circumstances heavily influence mans decisions.