When you look at people do you see an ape?

How often do we notice people are actually animals instead of, well, people. I don’t mean that in an insulting way. I accept evolution and that we are related to the great apes. I’m curious, the average person relates to “people” as individual characters. They don’t “see” 6 primates standing in a shop. When I look at another species like a dog, I “see” a dog rather than an individual. I assume when a dog meets another dog they see a individual character, are we just reacting the same way to “people”?

Not often enough. And it’s that very ego-centrism that makes understanding ourselves more difficult.

I suspect you’d see more of an individual if the dog happens to be one you’ve lived and interacted with for many years.

I often notice particular people looking apeish, but I sense that’s not what you’re asking. Do I look at people and thing “people” or “apes”? I think “people”, of course. Likewise, I look at gorillas and think “gorillas”, chimpanzees and think “chimpanzee”, etc. I only think of ape as the larger taxonomic group they all have in common.

Having a baby really illuminates how ape (and monkey) like we are, though. I mean, glue some black fur on her, and my toddler could pass for a really ugly gorilla baby.

The other day I was reading a book with an almost-3 kid I babysit, though, and he got REALLY mad when I pointed out the gorilla and chimp and orangutan and himself and said they were all apes. Like shouting at me, “I am *not *a ape! [sic]” and stomping away to sulk in the corner. :eek:

Well, we are great apes, so however we look at each other is an example of what it’s like when a great ape looks at another great ape.

It’s interesting, because taxonomists recognized how amazingly similar we are to apes long before we had any sense of relation or ancestry or evolution. One general belief related to that was God had made apes to amuse us: sort of caricature human beings we could point at and laugh at the antics of.

Well, naturally YOU would say that! :smiley: Best username/post combo ever.

Well, I’m interested in the subject and “Neanderthal” was already taken. :wink:

I sometimes enjoy looking at crowds of people, as in a cafeteria or a sporting event, as a bunch of primates who have really peculiar behavioral traits. Odd that they cover themselves with cloth.

I also remember seeing a couple of gorillas at a zoo sitting on some sort of bench (inside their enclosure), one with it’s arm on the back of the bench. They looked just like a couple of guys waiting for a bus or watching TV, except more hairy.

Very often I look at people and see them as animals. I don’t mean that I feel superior to them, or see them as inconsequestial or less than human, but it is very easy for me to see us as animals. When I admire someone for their youthful beauty, or youthful athleticism, I am admiring an ‘animal’ aspect of them. Often I look at individuals (usually on the train or bus) and think they wouldn’t make it in the wild due to health issues, so it’s a good thing we have civilization. I don’t know whether or not I’m fortunate that I don’t see such a difference between our species and others. Sure, I appreciate our long life span and many of the developments due to our well-developed frontal lobes, but at the same time there are many aspects of our behavior that really are fucked up, and many of them arise from the same well-developed frontal lobes.

I have an 8 1/2 year old dog that I raised since he was 8 weeks old, so I do see him as an individual. Really, as an old child; he’s not as fast as he was a few years ago, but he’s much more calm and docile, like an older man; but at the same time he’s simple and loving, subordinate and really wants my approval, like a child.

Very often. And I include myself in that mix. Sometimes, when I watch people behave, or look at myself in the mirror, I’m struck by how apelike we all still are.

Quite frequently.

I get bitter & disappointed with the way people behave, & then I remind myself: “They’re only pink, hairless apes”, and I am consoled, & find myself able to forgive Mankind, somewhat.

No one said “whenever I see Bush on TV”. :slight_smile:

I do it once in awhile, but it’s on purpose. I’m thinking something along the lines of “isn’t it kind of funny that these apes are driving around in cars!” Or, in business meetings, I’ll lean over to someone and say “Chimpanzee politics, plain and simple”.

The thing is, we don’t have a name for ourselves which means “ape-related bipedal animal” and yet we should. We call ourselves a human, a (wo)man, a child or a person but we don’t refer to ourselves as animals.

Depends. I consider “human” to be the name for a certain kind of animal-- us.

We could use the term “Hominin”.

All the time. In the workplace, whenever I see anyone getting a massage from someone else, the first thought that pops into my head is, “we’re just another primate.”

I generally look at an individual person and see an individual person. However, I often see the ‘human animal’ in large crowds. I know that humans are a social animal and crowds seem to bring out a ‘herd’ behaviour. To me a crowd cheering the home team at a sports event is very similar to a flock of birds or a school of fish which can change direction with a seemingly hive mentality.

The same things that drive animals drive humans - sex, food and shelter, however humans also have that whole ego thing working for (or against) them.

For the record, I see dogs as individuals. Some dogs, like my little buddy, are friendly and outgoing. Others are aloof and others can be jerks - just like people. However, unlike people, it is more acceptable to make generalizations based on a dogs breed.

However, what is the word that sounds like us but has a different meaning?

We’re not just ape-related animals, we are apes, if the term has any real meaning. We are closer to chimpanzees than they are to gorillas – we basically are a species of chimpanzee – and so any taxonomic term that lumps together chimps and gorillas must include us. Of course in common usage “apes” does not include humans, but that’s a result of our blind spots and self-image problems, not based on any science.

Every species of animal I’ve interacted with has, over time, revealed differences among individuals. I haven’t really felt that way about insects, but I haven’t spent a lot of time and effort interacting with insects, so I’m keeping my mind open.

Personally, I tend to regard nonhuman animals as individuals (instead of a group of animal x) with about the same frequency I regard humans as individuals instead of a crowd or just “people in general.”

Sailboat

Until they run over and rip your arms off and beat you with them.

It’s all fun and games until…

I’ve been pondering this question and find my reaction interesting (probably mostly to me :slight_smile: ). In my day-to-day life I’m more likely to attribute “human” characteristics to other animals than I am to ascribe animal status to other humans. Thus I talk to my cats and consider the bird’s feelings, rather than reflecting analytically on the courtship or territorial behaviors of my own species.

Primate? Others have mentioned it and I think it fits.

This occasionally comes up in discussion. And when people argue about how primate-like we really are, I make an observation that usually brings the debate to, if not a close, then at least a long and thoughtful pause.

Imagine: You see somebody about to step in dog shit. You have one second to warn them. Do you say: “Danger! Dog shit!”

No. You point and go: “Oo! Oo! Oo!” And the other person freezes in response.

A more immediately identifiable and impossible to refute demonstration of our essential primate nature, I have yet to discover.