Desmond Morris
says that man, in spite of all his skill and cunning, is an
animal nonetheless.
Naked because he has lost his furry coat, he is still an animal among other animals.
The author says we must look at the way we have originated, and study the biological aspects of our
behavior as a species to fully understand ourselves. The author says that we have evolved as predators (hunters), and this new role has brought along with it new traits and characteristics. The author suggests that cultural changes were accompanied by biological ones over a period of time.Carnivores and primates have different ways of life; their mixture gives man a dual personality.
The author says that the hunting
ape was able to increase his brain power by the process of neoteny, whereby infantile characteristics are retained and prolonged into adult life. Nakedness and sub cutaneous fat could be the by-product of these changes. By increasing the number of sweat glands and losing a heavy coat of fur, man would be able to avoid over-heating during the hunt.
The author says that parental duties are more important for the naked ape than for any other living species. The newlyborn infant is so helpless that the mother has to take an active part in its upkeep. The child’s growing bond with its parent calms both the mother and the child. It is only later that the
child begins to assert itself. The child learns rapidly by imitation – that is, by following the example of its parents. Unfortunately, at this stage the child has no option but to accept parental bias along with valuable facts.
All mammals have a strong urge for exploring their environment. Not only for the purpose of feeding, but to know the signs of danger and seek out escape routes. Young monkeys are inquisitive, but their curiosity fades as they grow older. Not so with humans, for they gain valuable experience in this way. For the young child, childhood is a voyage of discovery as they explore many possibilities. Step by step, we expand our understanding of ourselves and of the world we live in.
The author says that our innate aggression can only be understood in terms of our primitive origin. Animals, he says, fight to establish their dominance in a social hierarchy or to establish their territorial rights. A dominant male is usually in charge of thegroup, and when he becomes too old or weak he is overthrown by another. The aggression drives the animal on, the fear holds it back. But if a species is to survive, it cannot afford to slaughter its own kind.
Desmond Morris is a zoologist by training, and the clinical approach he has adopted is in line with his profession. The author has tried to portray human behavior as a subset of animal behavior. He has sought to provoke, he has sought to be controversial by examining human behavior in terms of feeding, grooming, fighting and mating. He says that his purpose in writing this book is to strip us of the façade we wear and reveal the “nakedness” beneath.
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