The story of evolution is one of a species adapting to overcome adversity. Sometimes circumstances dictate that all members of the group be modified and sometimes it is only necessary that a small percentage of the group be endowed with characteristics that will benefit the group as a whole.

      If all members were given the passion for leadership, the result would be chaos and would be counterproductive to survival of the species. If, however, only a few were given this desire, the competition would be limited to a handful of the members and society as a whole would benefit.

      To understand why a certain type of individual may exist in the human family, You need only ask Yourself a simple question. "What need do they fill?"

      The human animal learned early on that it had a weakness. No matter how fast or clever it may be it was still, at times, as vulnerable as a new born baby due to the fact that Man must sleep.

      The greatest weapon man had against his enemies was fire. It was fire that kept the animals from killing him in his sleep. It was fire that kept him from freezing during the night. Fire honed his spears and cooked his food but it also had a price. Fire must be tended to twenty four hours a day.

      Given the critical importance of having someone watch over the fire and guard the home against invaders during the night, it is logical to assume that evolution would provide for a small percentage of individuals whose natural inclination was to be awake after the others had gone to sleep. These few Nocturnal men and women would have made it possible for the rest of the clan to sleep soundly throughout the night and spend the day in the state of alertness that was absolutely required by the world in which these early humans lived.

      A nocturnal human would have to endure considerable hardship. Despite being up all night, the Nocturnal would still, to some degree, have to conform to the schedule that the others kept. It is widely believed that early man was nomadic in nature and this wandering would certainly have been done during the time when the majority was active. This example alone would be reason enough to conclude that being a Nocturnal MUST have been a trait forced upon the individual by evolution rather than choice. Were it to be a matter of personal choice, the added hardships involved would make a society hard pressed to find individuals who were willing to endure such added difficulties.

      The advancement of our society has done nothing to eliminate the importance of the Nocturnal. Even non-Nocturnal people have come to expect that certain services be rendered on a 24 hour basis:

                medical care
                police protection
                power plants
                Snow removal
                telephone service
                fire fighters
                prisons
                restaurants
                Convience stores
                factory production

      The late-night services required by our society are far too numerous to list here. The need is greater than ever for the services of the Nocturnal.

      Given the great need for the Nocturnal in our society, one would expect them to be honored as being uniquely qualified to provide needed services. This does not, however, seem to be the case.

      Even if a Nocturnal is lucky enough to find a career that allows him or her to work during night hours, the prospects for advancement are slim at best.He may become a police officer but never a police commissioner without moving to a shift in which he will be greatly handicapped. Many Nocturnals force themselves to work "day-shift" hours to try and escape the 2nd class status society assigns to them. While this is possible, the fact is that a true Nocturnal simply cannot function well while working hours that are alien to him any more than a non-Nocturnal will function well when circumstances force him into night work. How many children fail to live up to their potential because society forces them to attend school during hours that are unnatural to them?

      While most Nocturnals are honest, law-abiding, tax-paying citizens, the public perception is often one of great suspicion. Many people assume that if a person doesn't keep "regular hours" they must be criminal drug-addict prostitutes who are waiting for them to go to sleep so they can break into their house and steal the furniture. Sound extreme? Try something as simple as trimming the bushes in front of Your house at 3:00 am and see how long it takes before one of the neighbors calls the police to see what You're "up to".

      This suspicion is so engrained in our culture that the Nocturnal himself comes to believe there is something wrong with him. He is often considered to have a "sleeping disorder" and wonders why he is always the last one awake when the party is over. He feels guilty for making the ceiling in the apartment below him creak by walking around in his own apartment at night but thinks nothing of the fact that the same neighbors stereo wakes him up during the day. The simple truth is that he cannot escape his nature. The true Nocturnal has always been and will always be the way he is. He cannot be "cured" because there is no disease. Once this realization is made, we can accept ourselves for the way we are and make the best of it. WE ARE THE NOCTURNALS!

      When a business owner chooses to close his shop at night because he prefers to work day-shift or because there is less demand for his services during those hours it's entirely understandable. when the people our taxes pay to govern us pass laws that are specifically aimed at discouraging our lifestyle it becomes a form of oppression.

      We've all seen signs on public streets that forbid us from parking there during a few select hours of the night. During snow-storms, it makes sense that the streets need to remain clear of cars to aid in snow removal. It also makes sense that the best time to do this would be at the time of the least traffic but Why do these rules apply year-round? What if I want to visit one of my Nocturnal friends at 3:00 am and the only parking available is the street in front of her house?

      Why does the law require night clubs to close at a certain time? Why is it illegal to buy a beer after a certain time? Is drinking more evil at 2:00 am? Why do some communities allow a curfew to be imposed on their young people? Does this imply that being young and Nocturnal shows criminal intent?

      The reason is simple. NONE of our "representatives" are Nocturnals. Our laws are written, debated and passed entirely by people working day-shift.