Scientific American on Noisy Dominance. Chimps mimic Humans or is it vis versa?

Posted on September 6, 2018 by Richard H. McBee Jr.

I had to laugh, midway through the first article in the latest Scientific American: Special Issue for September 2018, entitled “Humans – Why we’re unlike any other species on the planet.“

Author Kevin Laland mentions an observation about innovations in hmans and animals and uses one example of this as primatologist Jane Goodall’s observations of a young chimpanzee, code named Mike, who had devised a noisy dominance diplay that allowed him to rise rapidly to the level of alpha male status in his troop. Mike apparently according to Goodall, Jane Goodall’s observaions on Mike, noted that Mike had learned to clash two empty kerosene cans together in order to intimidate rivals.

So what pops into my head? You got it! When did this observation occur and who might have picked up on it in the Human world and put it to good use? I try to research this a bit, Goodall on Chimpanzee Communication, and find that Jane Goodall drew some anolgies between all of her Primate work (Humans are Primates) and political figures and ways of intimidating opponents so that they win or move up substantially on the status scale. How interesting to see journalist’s quote back during the last primary campaign before the first debates Quote source: “In the October issue of The Atlantic, James Fallows takes an interesting look at what the presidential debates between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton — the first of which happens next Monday — will be like. Nestled within that story, which serves as a history lesson on televised presidential debates, is an observation made by renowned primatologist Jane Goodall. Fallows recalls a conversation he had with Goodall just before Trump clinched the GOP nomination. “In many ways, the performances of Donald Trump remind me of male chimpanzees and their dominance rituals,” Goodall told him. “In order to impress rivals, males seeking to rise in the dominance hierarchy perform spectacular displays — stamping, slapping the ground, dragging branches, throwing rocks. The more vigorous and imaginative the display, the faster the individual is likely to rise in the hierarchy, and the longer he is likely to maintain that position.”

Which came first? The Chicken or the egg? Did some enterprising young politicical advisor see Jane Goodall’s notes and transfer this idea of disruptive interference to his candidate’s political campaign?

OR,

Was this methodology already prevelent in Humanity as seen in the bombastic shouted interruptions and displays we see, used by certain commentators on certain TV shows?

Draw your own conclusions. Whatever they are, be sure to read some of Dr. Goodall’s comments on current political dramas including her analysis of POTUS.

ref 1:About the President

ref 2: Yvanka Trump Quotes Jane Goodall – women power

Have a great day! And, remember to read the other 104 pages of the Scientific American articles on HUMANS!