Letters to the Editor
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@ Clockwork Smurf: I disagree -- somewhat.
Yes, we must gather. Some will even say we must hunt. But when you say, "You and me baby, we ain't nothin' but mammals, so we seek out greater and greater profit, however we define it", you underestimate mammals. Cooperation also shaped us. Even my dog has a rudimentery system similar to mirror neurons which makes him capable of empathy. I have learned much from my dog and have decided that at times he shows more "intelligence" than some humans:
1. He will not gorge himself. He eats until he is full and then he stops. In other words, there is such a thing as enough.
2. He is quite competitive. As an unneutered male, he likes to show other dogs that he is top dog. He does this by peeing on bushes, raising his back hair, and holding his head up high over another dog's back. I have yet to see him attempt to kill another dog.
3. He is capable of great empathy. When I am sad, he is right there by me, cuddling up close and looking into my eyes with love.
Do not underestimate mammals -- especially pack animals such as humans. We have more than a lizard brain.
In addition to being capable of all that my dog is capable of -- urinary habits not withstanding -- we are capable of thinking conceptually. We are capable of making rules that channel our less altruistic impulses into social good. We may die alone, but we live together. We can restructure our government to mandate things like minimum wage, reasonable work weeks, and time off for nursing mothers. If we can build bridges across rivers, we can build bridges of tolerance and understanding to each other.