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Humans are not apes. Neither literally, nor figuratively. That's not only incorrect, but it's a vicious thing to say, and it has dangerous implications.
by javert 14y ago
Humans are not apes. Neither literally, nor figuratively. That's not only incorrect, but it's a vicious thing to say, and it has dangerous implications.
- not_that_noob 14y agoThat was more figurative, and perhaps too much of a literary flourish. My point is that this behavior is endemic to our species, and not unlike that observed among chimps or other members of Hominoidea, as detailed in: http://evolvingthoughts.net/2012/03/are-humans-apes-monkeys-primates-or-hominims/ http://evolvingthoughts.net/2012/03/are-humans-apes-monkeys-... That is to say, the rich in all societies take and do what they like, modulated either by internal moral codes or external legal enforcement.
- lobotryas 14y agoPlease expand on your line of thought. What are the "dangerous implications" of calling all humans "apes"?
- drdaeman 14y agoIf "ape" is a synonym to "hominoid", humans are apes. Literally.
- Daniel_Newby 14y agoSince when are humans not apes?
- gnaritas 14y agoWhat on Earth are you talking about? There's nothing vicious or dangerous about that statement.
- vacri 14y agoI loathe pop sci interpretations of animal behaviour applied against human behaviour (which includes the context of the parent of your comment) but humans are apes. The 'Great Apes' are chimps, gorillas, orangs, and humans.
- javert 14y agoThanks for the correction, I guess I was wrong on that point, though hopefully the actual intended meaning of my statement remains intact. EDIT: Well, according to Wikipedia, "Great Ape" is a common name, not a taxonomic label, and is only sometimes used to include humans. I, personally, would advocate not equating the term "great ape" with the hominidae family.
- potatolicious 14y agoYour original intent remains intact because I don't think anyone here knows what the original intent was. How is labeling humans as "apes" dangerous?