Philosophy
When you compare the regular chimpanzee and the bonobo, one of the most striking differences is the presence of sometimes incredible violence in the former and the complete absence of it in the latter (at least as far as we have been able to observe over the past 50 years). Both species are wicked smart, and are fascinating in their own ways, but when it comes to getting along with others and being gregarious, there's probably no species on the planet, including humans, who can come even close to bonobos.
This lack of violence is probably not all that surprising once we consider that bonobo societies are matriarchal -feminists are probably wetting themselves as we speak :) -and that social bonding and even conflict resolution are achieved through daily orgiastic feasts. When was the last time you heard of someone wanting to get into a fight after getting laid? Exactly...
In the following TEDTalk presentation, cutie primatologist Isabel Behncke argues (and has the footage to prove) that much of what underlies all of bonobo's friendliness has to do with the fact that they have a life-long commitment to play. And if play is the basis for social bonding and conflict resolution, and it's working out well for bonobos, why not for us too?
I wouldn't mind playing with her :)
And if you want to learn more about bonobo awesomeness, check them out here and here, or just type 'bonobo' in the search bar above.
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In the game of evolution, the winners are those who successfully manage to survive and reproduce, and one of the best ways to do the latter is sexually. If you simply made perfect copies of yourself, there wouldn't be enough genetic diversity in your...
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Every time scientists have tried to come up with a set of defining characteristics of what it means to be human, subsequent observation has revealed that there are other species who share those features previously thought to be unique to us... We are...
- Anderson Cooper Gets Pwned By Bonobo
If you've been keeping up with this blog for a while, you probably already know just how intelligent bonobos can be. You might be surprised to find, however, that despite his journalistic professionalism, Anderson Cooper is not exactly what you might...
Philosophy
Isabel Behncke - Evolution's Gift of Play, from Bonobos to Humans
When you compare the regular chimpanzee and the bonobo, one of the most striking differences is the presence of sometimes incredible violence in the former and the complete absence of it in the latter (at least as far as we have been able to observe over the past 50 years). Both species are wicked smart, and are fascinating in their own ways, but when it comes to getting along with others and being gregarious, there's probably no species on the planet, including humans, who can come even close to bonobos.This lack of violence is probably not all that surprising once we consider that bonobo societies are matriarchal -feminists are probably wetting themselves as we speak :) -and that social bonding and even conflict resolution are achieved through daily orgiastic feasts. When was the last time you heard of someone wanting to get into a fight after getting laid? Exactly...
In the following TEDTalk presentation, cutie primatologist Isabel Behncke argues (and has the footage to prove) that much of what underlies all of bonobo's friendliness has to do with the fact that they have a life-long commitment to play. And if play is the basis for social bonding and conflict resolution, and it's working out well for bonobos, why not for us too?
I wouldn't mind playing with her :)
And if you want to learn more about bonobo awesomeness, check them out here and here, or just type 'bonobo' in the search bar above.
.
- Misogyny, Feminism, And Sexual Frustration As A Motive Force In History
You forget how much of an island you live on. Being so long out of the locker room and shuttling back and forth in my cozy pro-feminist life between my office next to Aspazia and Kerry then back to the homestead with TheWife, you forget how isolated you...
- Diane Kelly - What We Didn't Know About Penis Anatomy
Penises... they're great. In my case, we're best friends. I never leave home without mine. Do you? It may seem pretty obvious what they're for (what, with their relentless one-mind track), but there are still many mysteries surrounding these...
- Jonathan Drori - The Beautiful Tricks Of Flowers
In the game of evolution, the winners are those who successfully manage to survive and reproduce, and one of the best ways to do the latter is sexually. If you simply made perfect copies of yourself, there wouldn't be enough genetic diversity in your...
- Robert Sapolsky - Are Humans Just Another Primate?
Every time scientists have tried to come up with a set of defining characteristics of what it means to be human, subsequent observation has revealed that there are other species who share those features previously thought to be unique to us... We are...
- Anderson Cooper Gets Pwned By Bonobo
If you've been keeping up with this blog for a while, you probably already know just how intelligent bonobos can be. You might be surprised to find, however, that despite his journalistic professionalism, Anderson Cooper is not exactly what you might...