Primates find great comfort in each other’s company. Getting along with others is a critical skill because survival chances outside the group—where there are predators and hostile neighbors—are dismal. Primates who find themselves alone meet a quick death. This explains why they spend an extraordinary amount of time—up to 10 percent of the day—servicing social ties by grooming others.
Our Inner ApeField studies have shown that female monkeys with the best social connections have the most surviving offspring.
Our Inner ApeRhesus monkeys normally punish anyone who vioaltes the rules of their strict society but Azalea was able to get away with the gravest blunders, such as threatening the alpha male due to her “down syndrome”
Our Inner ApeLooking without looking, and understanding without speaking. Postures and body mimicry—the ancient animal language of connection
Our Inner ApeA charging gorilla male is prepared to die for his family
Our Inner ApeA male gorilla is a born protector.
Our Inner ApeThe mighty silverback was the most sensitive and comforting, directly responding to signs of distress.
Our Inner ApeWin over friend without being too submissive, because without some level of assertiveness, one will end up at the bottom of the pecking order or worse. Success will require that, the person neither be a bully nor a doormat.
Our Inner ApeThere’s a great need for us to stay young at heart. Homo Ludens: the playful ape. We play games until we die, we dance and sing, and we add to our knowledge by reading nonfiction or taking senior university classes.
Our Inner ApeIf monkeys hate unfair treatment, why shouldn’t wee?
Our Inner Ape
Up to 10 passages are published from each source.