"This distorted view of humans in which we use ourselves as some sort of standard to which individuals of other species should strive is not only arrogant, but singularly ill-informed. We clearly need a new mindset, a paradigm shift in which we de-center ourselves and work alongside other species to change the dismal road on which we are currently and recklessly traveling. Christine offers that and much more."
"The Arrogant Ape grew out of a course of the same name that I taught at Harvard for many years. I saw firsthand how unlearning the myth of human exceptionalism-the belief that humans are fundamentally separate from and superior to other forms of life-transformed my students' lives, and my own. The world became more animate and alive, a place we felt connected to and responsible for. Those experiences inspired me to explore these ideas more deeply and bring them to a popular audience."
Human exceptionalism—the belief that humans are separate and superior to other life forms—is deeply ingrained and often unnoticed. That belief is arrogant and ill-informed, shaping cultural norms and scientific knowledge. De-centering humans and adopting humility can transform perception of the world, making it feel more animate, connected, and morally demanding. Collaborative relationships with other species and learning from primate behavior reveal that boundaries between 'human' and 'animal' are artificial and flawed. A paradigm shift toward shared stewardship and responsibility is necessary to alter destructive trajectories and to foster ethical, ecological, and scientific renewal.
Read at Psychology Today
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