Evolution
By rainbow
@rainbow (6761)
August 15, 2006 9:25am CST
If we are decended from apes how come the gorillas and orang-u-tangs are so peaceful and man is so destructive, are we going to grow more hair and become peaceful or just carry on until we kill the world?
5 responses
@snowflake5 (1579)
• United States
8 Jan 07
Actually DNA shows that our closest relatives are Chimpanzies and Bonobos (gorillas and orang-utangs are more distant from us).
Chimpanzies and Bonobos live on opposite banks of the Congo river (which is so wide that they don't cross it). And the Congo basin is also where humans first emerged.
Here's the interesting bit: chimps are very aggressive and are at war pretty much all the time, killing much more brutally than man ever would. On the other hand Bonobos never ever fight - instead they make love all the time (literally! - at least ten times a day each with all members of the group).
It seems Humans are half-way between the two. We have wars - but we also have a large number of the group who are for peace, and we trade and interact and let other humans travel across our countries without attacking them (chimps would never let a rival chimp group cross their territory without attack).
The strangest thing, is that the difference in DNA between humans, chimps and bonobos amounts to only a fraction of a percent!
@rainbow (6761)
•
8 Jan 07
Thanks for the info. I used them orangs as an exaple as chimpscan be naughty.
I saw a programme about bonobos just before Christmas, it was fascinating, they are enchanting. They lived with a lady dr of something and made drinks and lived at her home and were taught to read and communicate with us and were just fantastic. I can see why they are not in charge here though, all that being loved up doesn't get the chores done, what a shame humans are not learning from the beautiful bonobo!
@eskimolax78 (85)
• United States
25 Aug 06
We should all live in peace. We should eat organic foods, and drive hybrids. HIPPIES 4 LIFE!
@Skull_Pilot (9)
• United States
2 Sep 06
If you want to have a serious discussion of this topic I will be happy to participate. But it seems as if you all just like to quip and attempt to be witty in your replies.
We are more closely related to Chimpanzees, sharing more than 98% of our DNA, than we are to gorillas or orangutans. If you study chimps in the wild you'll see that adults are very violent, even warlike in their defense of territory. Considering our close relationship to chimps, it is easy to see that we share their penchants for violence and brutality.
