I was watching the obligatory annual footage of Black Friday shoppers, and somehow, in the middle of all the fighting for dominance and the yelling and the occasional violence, I couldn't help but remember just how similar we are to apes. I'm sure I'm not the only one who thinks like this, since there are tons of books out there written by and about people who can't help but see the primate in all of us.
Nim Chimpsky tells the full story of a chimp briefly raised among humans. The researchers wanted to teach him American Sign Language to show up Noam Chomsky. They made quite a lot of progress, but at the end of day wound up with filthy walls, a frazzled chimp and a string of ruined relationships.
But if you like to focus on our softer side, there are always bonobos. In Bonobo Handshake, Vanessa Woods recounts her interactions with bonobos in the dangerous jungles of the Congo. Oddly enough, it reminded me of Eat, Pray, Love, except that instead of eating and praying, she stares at bonobos, and if you know anything about bonobos, you'll know why I can't go into detail about the love part.
Our Inner Ape is equally concerned with both primates, arguing we're just as similar to fun-loving, peaceful bonobos as we are to aggressive chimpanzees.
So when you're busy battling your neighbor for this year's trendy piece of plastic, remember our distant relatives and the wonderful heritage we share. Nothing pleases the primate in me quite like the holiday season.
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