We’re Not So Different After All

Chimp mother climbs a tree for food while carrying her dead infant.

There are a couple of articles in recent issues of Science News, Chimps may be aware of others’ deaths and Neanderthal genome yields evidence of interbreeding with humans, that challenge the universal myths of human uniqueness. Our uniqueness is expressed overtly as in the Christian ‘created in God’s image’, or simply implied by an attempt to nail down ‘origins’⁽¹⁾.

I suppose the Tao Te Ching’s disclaimers let us off that hook somewhat, e.g., ‘the way that can be spoken of is not the constant way‘… and ‘… one who speaks does not know‘, and finally, ‘… are you capable of not knowing anything?‘ Hmm?

See also this short CBS video, Bird Grooves to the Beat, for a delightful example of just how much fuzzier the line separating us from other species is turning out to be. Boy, if this keeps up we have to admit we are just another life form, not a special ‘created in God’s image’ one. That can’t happen too soon, to suit me! Alas, that’s certainly not about to happen in my lifetime. Oh well, it is always good to save something for tomorrow.

It is odd how driven we are to see ourselves different, special and superior. This is evident even in the most ‘high minded’ spiritual myths of our species. I suppose this is just a symptom of the survival instinct working its way up through the emotions, into the brain, and out our mouths. If ants could talk, I’ve no doubt they would see themselves a different, special and superior. And that just goes to show us how we are not so special after all. Now that’s comforting!

⁽¹⁾ See Creation Myths for an brief overview of human creation myths.