Oh, I remember a time when comparing a human to an animal was an insult but now it’s a justification. I’m not going judge the act of infidelity. I’ve known friends who have cheated on a spouse. But they were honest and took responsibility for their action and let the chips fall where they may. Most cases it was an end to a marriage and in a few the marriage survived. Look we all have made bad choices in life at sometime or another. But now the scientific community is weighing in and saying that the cheater is not at fault, they are not responsible for their indiscretions. It’s an inherited instinct. They studied animals and since humans are animals the same rule apply, right? I think Wendy Shalit hit it on the head.
“Let's face it -- the new "science" of infidelity is just not very scientific. It certainly provides a convenient "out" to deny personal responsibility, but anyone who buys this "science" is missing out on the best parts of being human: the freedom that comes from self-control and the intimacy that can only come with commitment.”If we are going to except that it is natural to behave like animals then what’s the point of the human brain. Why be given the ability to create, problem solve, reason or to think in concepts of right and wrong or good and evil? What about one of the things that separates from the animal, the ability to make choices? Perhaps, where scientists are thinking they are explaining our misbehaviors they are really finding out the truth, that we are de-evolving as a species.
It certainly seems the concept of responsibility and shame is dying out. Now it’s seems it’s more of a world of ego, narcissism and self-centeredness. More and more I see people thinking law/rules or just common courteously doesn’t apply to them. Stupidity and even drunkenness seems to be accepted now. But is this de-evolution, are we regressing? Or is this self will run riot and we are choosing to be like apes?
So when a person cheats on a spouse that person has chosen to for fill a desire of sex, animal can’t make those kinds of choices. Plus humans make plans. So when humans continue to cheat they make plans to do so. Animals don’t make plans. So for a person to use the excuse that scientific research has proven that they are not responsible for their infidelity or misbehavior. Well then are they saying they’re not capable to make choices? The only humans I know that have a no understanding of right from wrong or lack remorse or guilt are psychopaths or sociopaths.
I think it’s our minds that separate us from all other animals including apes, whether it is an act of God or we are a freak of nature, I’ll let you decide. It is said that we are created in God’s image, I think not so much in the physical sense but we are talking about ability to think and to create or destroy and that we have free will and freedom of choice from using are primitive instinct or not. Animals I believe don’t have that choice. Then again I sometimes stop and look around and think; Yea, we’re freaks of nature.
What it comes down to is choice, to be or not to be, an ape.
But you know sometimes I wish I was an ape-man.
UR
10 comments:
Yes, if we can justify sexual behavior on the basis of what animals do, e.g. apes and monkeys then why stop with sex? Everyone has a nice stereotypical view of chimpanzees based on Cheetah in the Tarzan movies and juvenile chimps dressed in human clothes or performing tricks in the circus.
What studies reveal about chimpanzees would appall most sane people. They are territorial and will fight and kill chimps from other groups entering their territory. Males will fight each other for dominance in the troop. They do hunt and kill other animals. They have been known to commit fratricide, infanticide, and I think there are a few instances of cannibalism. Witness what the pet chimp did to that woman up in Connecticut last year. Imagine another chimp or animal on the receiving end of that in the wild. Nature is not nice.
Some of the hard core nature programs on Discovery and National Geographic now warn their viewers about disturbing scenes. So much for cutesy animals. I enjoy nature and I don't want want to see wildlife like chimps become extinct. But neither do I want to justify my behavior by what they do. Nazis, Fascists and Communists all justified the excesses of their totalitarian regimes on the principles of nature as outlined by Darwinian concepts "survival of the fittest."
You are absolutely right UR. When I was in school I was taught we were different than animals. When fights or picking on the weak happened in school, one of the first things out of the mouth of administration was "You are not an animal." Looking to the animal kingdom for guidance in human behavior is deviant, retrograde, and an an attempt to undo thousands of years of slow, often change by humanity to better itself, particularly western society under Judeo-Christian principles.
Great entry! There is nothing quite as debased and morally corrupt as relativising human behaviour and putting it on a par with that of animals. But it's handy, isn't it? Thus we abolish the human conscience and sin. I would give my life to protect my terrier, but I am not for a split second fooled into believing that he might be an ethical being. I have written frequently about it. This and this is about "human rights" for apes, here I discuss PETA, an organisation which lets Al Qaida look like Boy Scouts, and this and this is about ethical relativism of a different sort. We are all past the middle years of our lifes, and I guess we have all done things of which we weren't terribly proud post factum. I certainly have. But at least we haven't sold our mistakes and sins as something wonderful and enriching. It is all part of the big self-hatred scheme. We Germans creep up every Mullahs ass so that the country that bred SS men will not survive, you Americans let yourself tyrannize by political correctness and elect a rastaquouère president who has a black father because of slavery, white males (correction: straight white males) hate themselves so much for all the evil they have brought upon the world that they have surrendered to the demands of the most pushy pressure group known in the our culture (Muslims, blacks and homosexuals included): spoilt rotten white middleclass women, and we as the human race hate ourselves so much that we have elevated "nature" to the status of an ersatz religion and want to grant "rights" to animals.
Oh well, it's all your fault. You got me started on that one! ;-)
"Looking to the animal kingdom for guidance in human behavior is deviant, retrograde, and an an attempt to undo thousands of years of slow, often change by humanity to better itself, particularly western society under Judeo-Christian principles."
Wonderfully put, 'gator! Horses have taught me a lot while I worked with them, now it's the dogs from whom I am learning. Political correctness even prevails here. We are supposed to use "soft" methods to train them when they do nothing of that sort when dealing with each other. I have learned from watching animals, too, how pointless -- no: evil! -- feminism is. God knows, I love my dogs dearly, but I get a hissy fit if people tell me: "But they are like children!" They are NOTHING of that sort. With a child you can reason and it is able to tell right from wrong at a relatively early age. Yes, dogs seem to understand a lot. They sort of emulate our intelligence, but they will never understand right and wrong, just praise and punishment.
Thinking of the chimp who attacked that woman: Isn't it amazing that dogs have at one point in history decided to make peace with people? I am living with a carnivore of more than 30 kg, trained to attack and kill predators, and he allows me to bully him. Imagine a cat of that size in your household. Dogs are truly a miracle and a gift to humankind.
Great comments people!
I have some thoughts to share but I’ll have to do it later, not much time right now.
But I have one question for Editrix, Do they show an American program called the “Dog Whisperer” with Cesar Millan where you are? I’m sure Gator heard of this show.
Chris, I don't watch television, but after a brief Google search it seems that the programme isn't shown here. I had never heard of him before. However, after another brief look at a discussion about his methods and seeing that parts of it are illegal in my country, I'd prefer to discuss this (extremely interesting) topic in a protected environment.
I totally agree about discussing dog training privately.
But I will say this, there are a lot of things people who don’t know about how dogs, cats, birds and even horse deal with each other. For example most people accept maybe those who work with them is that horses will bite each other and I even heard they can draw blood and in one case a horse took a chunk of flesh out of another horse hind quarter. Have you heard of this?
Editrix said,
“Dogs are truly a miracle and a gift to humankind.”
So true. I find it interesting that in Native American culture dogs where there first domesticated animal as it was with most primitive cultures. Now the Sioux called the dog “Shuunka” then when the horse made its way into Sioux territory and culture they called the horse “Shuunka Wakan”. Wakan typically means “holy” so the “Shuunka Wakan” means Holy Dog. The horse changed the plains Indians lives. Like the dog the horse also became an important part of most human cultures.
But back to the main topic. It seems that the more we say we are civilize the more we excuse bad behavior as animal instinct. It sounds like something intellectual leftist elitists want to believe to justify their right to sit at the top of the pecking order. For only they have intellect to dictate how we poor animals can live in harmony.
Editrix points out America’s obsession with political correctness and it’s true. I think it started with all the best intentions. Most whites I’ve know don’t like discrimination. But in the pass ten years or so more and more are becoming irritated by the accusation that most whites are racist. I do believe a good number of whites who voted for the President did so because he is half black, in hopes to end the idea of a racists America.
Now what is strange there are those in the liberal media who accuse whites of tribalism because they disagree with the current administration and congress. I mean since humans are social animals that tend live in groups/packs can’t it be said that tribalism is a primitive/natural/animal instinct? But of course it’s different if it doesn’t involve sex.
"...in one case a horse took a chunk of flesh out of another horse hind quarter. Have you heard of this?"
No I haven't but I am not amazed.
"Most whites I’ve know don’t like discrimination."
Most whites don't. And a fat lot of good it did them, historically.
When blacks hacked a million of other blacks to death in Rwanda within 100 days, it was a white UN-forces general who became insane over it because he couldn't do anything about it. Whites (a lot of them Jews, oh wait, they aren't really white...) saw that the blacks got full civil rights in the Fifties and Sixties. Did it bring a return for them save hatred? Did political correctness take you anywhere?
Don't get me started on that.
"When blacks hacked a million of other blacks to death in Rwanda within 100 days, it was a white UN-forces general who became insane over it because he couldn't do anything about it."
Could you re-post the link? It takes me to the CBC site but says the page can’t be found. I remember that terrible incident and I think I saw an interview with that General, was he Canadian? I was so mad at the UN for letting that happen and leaving that General powerless. I was also mad at the US government for staying out it especially since we are willing to get involve in other conflicts.
"Did political correctness take you anywhere?"
Fair question.
Part of me would like to think it has but the other part of believes it hasn’t. Only one segment of America that must be totally PC and that is white males. A fair PC society would mean every segment in America would have to be PC. I don’t think a society needs to be PC but it just needs to have common courtesy and respect. But this can’t be just on segment of a society, it has to be everyone.
"I don’t think a society needs to be PC but it just needs to have common courtesy and respect."
So true. In fact, PCness is adverse to respect and common courtesy.
Chris, google for "Romeo Dallaire". Yes, he was (is) Canadian. Our mutual friend Mac made me aware of him.
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