by
Rod___
»
30.07.2014, 3:26
But. Given the amount of inequality and unfairness and war and racism and so on, I'm not convinced that our species
has evolved beyond what I often see as a rather demented ape.
I believe our species was misnamed. We don't show much evidence of
sapiens. Even birds can make tools. It's not even clear that humanity will survive long-term, thanks to our extraordinarily irresponsible destruction of the biosphere, and equally irresponsible over-breeding. Scientists have calculated the optimum human population to be 2 billion; that could be supported long term. But now there are 7 billion of us, and the number is still growing rapidly. Currently we're causing about 70,000 other species to go extinct every year; a horrific rate. That can continue for only so long before humans are on the list of species that have perished.
We're threatening now to pull down the biosphere that we depend on. We could do it this century. No
thinking species would do that. I see us as more the species that
doesn't think.
In order to consider ourselves
evolved, beyond apes, we'd have to stop squabbling worse than chimpanizees, stop killing more than chimpanzees do, and stop being the most destructive species on this planet.
I suspect the primary reason Neanderthals disappeared from Europe was Homo was better at killing; more aggressive; more predatorial. That's hardly a feather in our cap, if humans were the main reason a brother species disappeared. Humans killed at least 100 million of their own, just in the 20th century, by violent means, and we're downing other species like mad these days. So it's hardly an unreasonable idea, that
we were the main reason Neanderthals disappeared. Killing seems to be what our species does best.
But that means we're a notch
below most other apes; not higher than. Our arrogance tells us different. I think
Homo Arrogant would have been a more accurate name for humans.
Consider that we're still poised - 24/7 - to incinerate much of the Northern Hemisphere with thermonuclear weapons. That makes us pretty much the
stupid species. I think we're really
not much evolved beyond or above the level of baboons. From watching the news, you may notice
the striking similarity in mindsets and personalities. Baboons can be nasty; humans can be *really* nasty. Way nastier than baboons. Humans could out-nasty baboons with their eyes closed. Easy.
My impression of a human:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/c ... Baboon.jpg