Some anti-evolutionists think they are being clever when the point to chimpanzees , monkeys, and apes as evidence that evolution cannot occur, saying things like “if we evolved from monkeys, why are there still monkeys?”. That is stupid enough but even worse is that some seem to think that being biologically related to them is somehow shameful and something that we should be embarrassed about.
But watch this mother gorilla tenderly caress her baby seconds after giving birth. ((Via Carla Sinclair.)
And see how four baboons found a way to escape from confinement. (Via Jason Weisberger .)
Why would you be ashamed to be related to them, when humans can be so much worse?
Other primates, I trust.
Humans, not so much.
The gorilla is sucking the mucus out of the baby’s nose and mouth.
So the baby can breathe.
That’s why the Keepers are constantly saying “good girl”.
They are talking to the mother. Because she understands English.
.
The baboons seem to be living in a parking-lot.
How nice.
Yeah… that is odd, that true disdain for other animals, as though they somehow don’t rate and aren’t worth considering. I’ve heard things like, “Man is the only tool-using creature” etc. and of course that is not true. We are not special or better. But that is a very human trait: thinking that we ARE special and that we ARE better -- than other animals, than our neighbors, than the people who live in other countries, than the people who have different beliefs, than “those people over there” whoever “those people’ might happen to be. Humans are kind of obsessed with thinking they are “better” than everything else, ever.
Of course there are other animals who think they are really freaking special -- I have an elderly stallion who thinks very highly of himself -- but I feel people should be able to use their big brains and opposing thumbs to educate themselves and come to better conclusions than an elderly horse is capable of. I find that ironic.
It is difficult to come away from a story about primates without thinking that we should be trying to treat all of them better, no matter which species they belong too.