Are women and men both hypergamous and this instinct only shifts when the economics of the dating market change? like after a major war where many men have died....Im sure several men got to "date up" under these conditions. I think these fluctuations do contribute to the overall system but I also see many pieces of evidence for male disposability in nature. Or at least that in every dimorphic, sexually reproducing species, there is a division of labor, and of value, with one sex being
would start killing one another for the opportunity to court one of the remaining women. (This concept is described as "fecundity" in population ecology. Drafting women would likely cause a serious population collapse downstream if WW3 happens and we draft them.) Another, weird example: Sperm is numerous and even old men can sire children, eggs are exceedingly scarce and and are tied to a relatively brief period. Economics applies to sex, and even gametes.
