Maligning Monkeys

Evolution just might be cyclical. Certainly, mankind in the 21st century is more monkey-like than erudite. There are legions of examples that justify this idea. At the highest court in the land, Neil Gorsuch, a supposed estimable and forthright judge, decided not to wear a mask though it had been requested by John Roberts, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States of America. We know that wearing a mask offers protection against airborne germs and, in fact, is responsible for much of the population not having had a cold in the two years since the pandemic began. Gorsuch’s act can be interpreted in a variety of ways but, for me, it is clearly a “monkey act.” Before I continue, let me apologize for maligning real monkeys, who seem to have a society far more orderly, altruistic, and wholeheartedly sensible than our own. We use terms like monkey business and monkey crap when referring to our own human misdeeds. What I mean by “monkey” is a large headed, small-brained human whose mind seems only large enough to carry the most inconsequential of thoughts but often uses these very same thoughts to drive himself to perform such incalculably stupid acts that then become so tightly ingrained (somewhat like partisan politics) that they take up all the available space which renders the man unable to reverse, to unpack these same thoughts, or frankly, to think at all. You see, I’m not really talking about monkeys, but rather humans behaving like something we call a “monkey” which is really a misguided man. 

Now that my use of monkey and monkey acts is explained, I’ll continue to further interpretations. Either Gorsuch doesn’t mind the common cold, has a real aversion to having soft cloth or paper delicately touching his face, or, like many who think the same way he does, being told what to do is far more objectionable than the freedom to make your own choice even when the choice being suggested to you is not only for your own good but for the good of all others around you. This reminds me of an earlier protest, perhaps outside the memory of some younger Americans, but there was a wide and loud protest against being forced to wear seatbelts. This despite all evidence that proved the safety and efficacy of wearing seatbelts while riding in cars. 

Is it incorrect to interpret the crux of the matter as, “who cares about you, neighbor!” Gorsuch demonstrated that he prefers the freedom to make his own decisions rather than harbor concern for his fellow jurists, or for that matter, his opportunity to set an example. What was important to him was demonstrating his refusal to cooperate, his freedom to think for himself, and indeed, his inability to even consider the altruistic act as an alternative. 

Speciation is a part of the process by which we will continue to evolve. So, what becomes of the of the 21st century man? If Darwin is correct and he certainly seems to be, evolution dictates survival of the fittest. This future evolutionary product is difficult to predict. Is it possible for mankind to evolve into something more intelligent than he was in the first place, surely, not in our current paradigm when it is clear that we use less and less brain power? We may never reach the heights of Australopithecus again, not without an altruistic component which has evidently disappeared from the genome. The inexorable churn of evolution will include our adaptation as a species to our destroyed planet mixed in with the consequences of what we have become, a supposed human society - disparate, fearful, angry, greedy, and self-serving. Most of us will not survive.

The other day, I spent a part of my afternoon outside near the Washington, DC waterfront which affords one a very nice view of the beltway surrounding the city. This was the location of the convoy of trucks traveling to DC to “oppose the mask mandates.” I stood on the edge of the highway and watched dump trucks, red trucks, blue trucks, green trucks, vans, pick-ups too. All manner of polluting vehicles were flying American flags, party flags, SASNAK blue, POW MIA banners swinging, and carrying a passenger or two. One sign read “farmers for freedom!” I wondered exactly what freedom meant. Surely, they were exercising their freedom to drive to the capital of the “Free World” in order to show their freely felt hatred of mask mandates! Horns were blaring, exhaust fuming and flowing. Never mind the fact that these monuments to transportation, though carrying nothing, were free to pollute the air where a group of school kids were outside for recreation. In fact, it was as incongruent a scene as I’ve ever witnessed.  

As a few of us bystanders watched the highway, we began to believe, dare I say even hoped, that this protest must really be about more, there must be some other goal disguised in this protest of mask wearing. We began to hope for the sake of good sense, for meaningfulness, that something else, something more was at stake. We all hoped that this protest was the great misdirection. Because if it wasn’t…

The rest of us are going to experience more of the real cost of protests by our monkey brothers. We already note the barricades around all government buildings reminiscent of dictatorships in countries where the leaders actually and truly fear and dislike their denizens. These new fortified erections are a direct result. Anyway, we guess these protestors wanted to fill our large brains to crowd our small minds…

And we can continue to heedlessly march against masks while…

War is being waged

Democracy threatened

Brutality commonly practiced

Climate change is being ignored

Learning to think is removed from the educational system 

Available goods are disappearing 

Poverty and crime are raging

We begin to speciate!

Vailes Shepperd

Pronoun (Human practicing Humanity)