The destructive nature of certain baboon hierarchies is well illustrated by this video, but how applicable is it to humans?
It is certainly tempting to make the comparison, but maybe we need our hierarchies more than baboons need theirs - to maintain the complexities we rely on so heavily.
3 comments:
Many thanks - that's an excellent and heartwarming video. I loved the bit when he said that he didn't actually like baboons much.
A lot of our political discourse is based around the debate about hierarchies and stress. We need the hierarchies - as you say, they are an effective way of getting things done - but from some perspectives it can certainly seem that the levels of stress involved are not justified by the rewards. Maybe that's what we mean when we talk about totalitarianism, dictatorships, repression, and the like.
But maybe our hierarchies actually prevent most people from being subjected to more threats and stress. Better to fear the police, or the mafia, than to fear absolutely everybody.
But would you buy a second hand car from one?
Sam - yes, I loved the bit about not actually liking baboons much. I agree about hierarchies, although there are obvious problems relating to size and accountability. Global is too big.
Demetrius - depends what they accept as payment.
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