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Why don't some people like being Apes?

thehurticus

The Hurticus
:D.

On a philosophical level I kind of agree with you, humans are unique within the animal kingdom. However, on a purely phylogenetic, evolutionary level, the differences between us and other ape species are not great enough to warrent assigning human beings their own family (family being a level of classification). It's as simple as that.

i agree we don't deserve our own family, but why not our own title? Why do i have to refer to myself as an ape? Why can't i just say human or person.
 

Baydwin

Well-Known Member
i agree we don't deserve our own family, but why not our own title? Why do i have to refer to myself as an ape? Why can't i just say human or person.
You can call yourself Mildred if you want, still gonna be a hairless banana munching faeces thrower like the rest of us though. ;)

Is there a reason you don't like thinking of yourself as a kind of ape?
 

thehurticus

The Hurticus
You can call yourself Mildred if you want, still gonna be a hairless banana munching faeces thrower like the rest of us though. ;)

Is there a reason you don't like thinking of yourself as a kind of ape?

The same reason a cheetah wouldn't wanna be called a cat. Cuz being a cheetah is kinda freakin cool. I think being a human is kinda cool. I am an ape, technically, but I'm a human, litterally.
 

UnTheist

Well-Known Member
you are literally an ape as well. you can call yourself multiple names, such as "hominid" "homo sapien" "ape" "mammal" "chordate". why hate the word "ape"?
 

Gabethewiking

Active Member
First, I'm still laughing from the homo ignoramus. Secondly, because I am different. My ancestors are scottish, but I don't call my self a Scott, because I'm an American. My even more ancient ancestors were apes, do I still have to classify myself as an ape? Though, technically, I am an ape, why can't I be a person in normal conversation?


This is what I think is the problem, and I am not having a go at you, it is just that when you say " I still have to classify myself as an ape" I see the Creationist type of logic, and no insulted intended in that. (I apologize).

You are an ape, but you did not 'become' an ape, your lineage, Homo sapien sapien, was once classified as something different, if you consider something other then Human, such as our closest Ancestors, Ape but not Us, it brings problems. We come into the problems of Definitions which are all, in this case, Arbitrary.

And are Homo sapien sapien really that different from our closest identified ancestor to get a new family name? A new definition? I know you do not think so. Personally, on a intellectual level, I feel and consider it good to make people understand our heritage, that we are not only Apes but our family History is amazing and think that telling children or generally defining us as 'Unique' (in an arrogant way) is negative and even if you do not do this (I understand your point perfectly) I think that it is a path that would eventually damage our soceity because we would, just as Patriots/Nazis/Nationalists makes people biased and prone to accept lies and falsehoods.

I hope you can see my point.
 

thehurticus

The Hurticus
you are literally an ape as well. you can call yourself multiple names, such as "hominid" "homo sapien" "ape" "mammal" "chordate". why hate the word "ape"?

i don't hate it, but why do i have to love it so much. what's wrong with calling myself person?
 

Gabethewiking

Active Member
You can call yourself Mildred if you want, still gonna be a hairless banana munching faeces thrower like the rest of us though. ;)

Is there a reason you don't like thinking of yourself as a kind of ape?

stormfront.com, Baydwin, the same reason I do not want to be called a jew, DUH!!!

oh, wait... Which site is this? :)
 

thehurticus

The Hurticus
This is what I think is the problem, and I am not having a go at you, it is just that when you say " I still have to classify myself as an ape" I see the Creationist type of logic, and no insulted intended in that. (I apologize).

You are an ape, but you did not 'become' an ape, your lineage, Homo sapien sapien, was once classified as something different, if you consider something other then Human, such as our closest Ancestors, Ape but not Us, it brings problems. We come into the problems of Definitions which are all, in this case, Arbitrary.

And are Homo sapien sapien really that different from our closest identified ancestor to get a new family name? A new definition? I know you do not think so. Personally, on a intellectual level, I feel and consider it good to make people understand our heritage, that we are not only Apes but our family History is amazing and think that telling children or generally defining us as 'Unique' (in an arrogant way) is negative and even if you do not do this (I understand your point perfectly) I think that it is a path that would eventually damage our soceity because we would, just as Patriots/Nazis/Nationalists makes people biased and prone to accept lies and falsehoods.

I hope you can see my point.

i do see your point and i agree with alot of what you're saying, but i disagree with the fact that uniqueness, even in an arrogant way, would damage our society. Embracing difference is a good thing. Its just as important as embracing others differences.
 

Gabethewiking

Active Member
i do see your point and i agree with alot of what you're saying, but i disagree with the fact that uniqueness, even in an arrogant way, would damage our society. Embracing difference is a good thing. Its just as important as embracing others differences.

To make a simile then.
We americans are told everyday by our parents, schools, media and movies we are 'the best', We are told this so much that the people who claims it believes it themselves. But it is a lie. It is not true.

Now looking at the positive, yes, people get a sense of identity, I am an AMERICAN, Yeah! Etc, but what if it goes to far, as we have today? We are a pathetic excuse of a Nation, huge amount of Crime Violence, STDs and some of the worst educated people in the western world, Yet we continue to lie to ourself and children that we 'Are the Best', Do you consider this good?

Insteas we Could educate them about how backwards we are and how Racism, Xenophobia and Isolation is a bad thing, Teach our Children about looking at other societies , trying to improve and see what works, Perhaps then we would get good Education, make sure Everyone has access to basic Healthcare, Respect our fellow man, not being afraid of foreigners, perhaps travel, go to another Nation OH MY GOD, sorry, okay, Maybe the next town to start with....

See what I mean with NEGATIVE feedback?
 

Riverwolf

Amateur Rambler / Proud Ergi
Premium Member
let me be more clear, we are not the common litteral idea of ape. Don't read too litterally.:)

Hm... the popular concept of "ape" usually means the image of the original Donkey Kong from 1981, I think. Obviously, gorillas aren't the only apes, so that idea is not accurate at all.
 

Riverwolf

Amateur Rambler / Proud Ergi
Premium Member
You're continuing an argument that's already been subdued. Nobody is arguing against your point.

We're pointing out the flaws of careless word-use.

It is such carelessness that likely causes many people to not understand evolution, and therefore not believe in it.
 

Riverwolf

Amateur Rambler / Proud Ergi
Premium Member
First, I'm still laughing from the homo ignoramus. Secondly, because I am different. My ancestors are scottish, but I don't call my self a Scott, because I'm an American. My even more ancient ancestors were apes, do I still have to classify myself as an ape? Though, technically, I am an ape, why can't I be a person in normal conversation?

Funny. I'm a fourth generation Irish and an I-don't-knowth generation Greek, and I therefore consider myself Celtic/Athenian, though I was born in America. I don't really consider myself American; that title, in my opinion, goes rightly to the Natives.

So that's the difference: a difference in self-identification. In your example, plus mine, neither of us are wrong; we're looking at the same thing, and saying two different things. The difference between fire and flame.
 

johnhanks

Well-Known Member
i don't hate it, but why do i have to love it so much. what's wrong with calling myself person?
Who is forbidding you to do so? Of course you call yourself a person for the purposes of day-to-day life, like the rest of us do.

But when you're referring to your position in biological classification, it's wholly accurate to say you're a kind of ape.

Context is all.
 
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