We're bonobos, they're chimps (new book Our Inner Ape)

[carolinayellowdog]

Hey,

I have ordered but not yet received Frans de Waal's new book:
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?userid=NC8e4KNCb3&isbn=1573223123&itm=1

this is the description from the cover:

ABOUT THE BOOK

Our Inner Ape: Power, Sex, Violence, Kindness, and the Evolution of Human Nature

FROM THE PUBLISHER
One of the world's foremost primatologists explores what our two closest relatives in the animal kingdom-the violent, power-hungry chimpanzee and the cooperative, empathetic bonobo-can tell us about the duality of our own human nature.

We have long attributed man's violent, aggressive, competitive nature to his animal ancestry. But what if we are just as given to cooperation, empathy, and morality by virtue of our genes?

From a scientist and writer whom E. O. Wilson has called "the world authority on primate social behavior" comes a lively look at the most provocative aspects of human nature-power, sex, violence, kindness, and morality-through our two closest cousins in the ape family. For nearly twenty years, Frans de Waal has worked with both the famously aggressive chimpanzee and the lesser-known egalitarian, erotic, matriarchal bonobo, two species whose DNA is nearly identical to that of humans.

De Waal brings his apes to life on every page of this book, letting their personalities, relationships, power struggles, and high jinks captivate our hearts and minds. The result is an engrossing and surprising narrative that explores what their behavior can teach us about ourselves and about one other. Illustrated with one 16-page black-and-white insert.
END DESCRIPTION

The chimp/bonobo polarity in the ape world mirrors a polarity within human nature, argues De Waal. I suggest that this polarity is also mirrored by the leanings of our political parties. Not only does Bush look like a chimp; he and his gang act like them too. Violent, power hungry, given to threatening displays. Even though he was a deserter and Kerry was a war hero, the *appearance* of chimplike aggression won out over the *appearance* of bonobo style cooperation. An egalitarian marriage on one side, a dominant/submissive one on the other, further illustrate the applicability of this polarity.

Won't run with this any further until reading the book, but it sounds fascinating from the POV of political implications.

CYD

[TallahasseeGrannie]

1. But have you noticed

that we can get really chimpy about their chimp behavior? It's hard to stay bonobobistic in a chimp world.

[carolinayellowdog]

7. Indeed, chimp behavior can be found at DU as well as FR

but if this polarity is meaningful, liberals and Dems do tend more towards the bonobo side. Whenever anyone here charges at someone else in a threatening way, determined to win by humiliation and confrontation, we're seeing chimp hierarchy on display. Here's a link to an article by de Waal:
http://www.geocities.com/willc7/bonobos.html

excerpt:
"Juvenile bonobos are incurably playful and like to make funny faces, sometimes in long solitary pantomimes and at other times while tickling one another. Bonobos are, however, more controlled in expressing their emotions – whether it be joy, sorrow, excitement or anger – than are the extroverted chimpanzees. Male chimpanzees often engage in spectacular charging displays in which they show off their strength: throwing rocks, breaking branches and uprooting small trees in the process. They keep up these noisy performances for many minutes, during which most other members of the group wisely stay out of their way. Male bonobos, on the other hand, usually limit displays to a brief run while dragging a few branches behind them."

My sense of things is that O'Reilly, Hannity, Coulter, and their heroes Bush, Cheney et al are all regularly guilty of "spectacular charging displays" in their rhetoric. This is not only reflective of what they are but what their audience wants to see. Even when people on our side make such displays, they're usually much more restrained, like bonobos.

My own observation of charging displays, throwing rocks, and gang violence in DU context was in the "all-Southerners-are-evil" BS that ran rampant for a while after the last election. But the fundamental tone of discussion at places like FR is chimplike aggression; at DU that sort of thing is less common if not rare.

CYD

[electropop]

2. Bonobos spend most of their time having sex with each other

Since most of the tribe are also their lovers, and they have no energy left for hate anyway, they appear to lead ridiculously happy lives. :-)

[TallahasseeGrannie]

8. My GOD! Are they married?

And this is heterosexual sex, right?



heh

[lateo]

10. They have homosexual sex...

and heterosexual sex.

[electropop]

11. They're trisexual.

If it's sexual, they'll try it.

[XNASA]

3. That's horrible. Oh, wait.....

I thought it said "We're Bonos."

Whew....that's a relief.

[Gruenemann]

5. News flash!

Bonobos to participate in fundraiser for Santorum!

[helderheid]

6. Thank you - I laughed out loud :)

[helderheid]

4. I had this conversation a couple days ago with my family

that liberals appear more bonobo-ish and conservatives more chimpy.

[Solly Mack]

9. :)

baby


adult


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