Desmond Morris Professions : Zoologist Born : January 24, 1928 Browse All Authors Top 33 quotes by Desmond Morris The idea that it is funny to see wild animals coerced into acting like clumsy humans, or thrilling to see powerful beasts reduced to cringing cowards by a whip-cracking trainer, is primitive and medieval. It stems from the old idea that we are superior to other species and have the right to hold dominion over them. Desmond Morris powerful animal ideas It must be stressed that there is nothing insulting about looking at people as animals. We are animals, after all. Homo sapiens is a species of primate, a biological phenomenon dominated by biological rules, like any other species. Human nature is no more than one particular kind of animal nature. Agreed, the human species is an extraordinary animal; but all other species are also extraordinary animals, each in their own way, and the scientific man-watcher can bring many fresh insights to the study of human affairs if he can retain this basic attitude of evolutionary humility. Desmond Morris humility attitude men ...In little more than a single century from 1820 to 19450, no less than fifty-nine million human animals were killed in inter-group clashes of one sort or another.... We describe these killings as men behaving "like animals," but if we could find a wild animal that showed signs of acting this way, it would be more precise to describe it as behaving like men. Desmond Morris acting animal men The city is not a concrete jungle, it is a human zoo. Desmond Morris concrete-jungle zoos funny We may prefer to think of ourselves as fallen angels, but in reality we are rising apes. Desmond Morris angel reality thinking This unusual and highly successful species spends a great deal of time examining his higher motives and an equal amount of time ignoring his fundamental ones. Desmond Morris unusual successful fundamentals Under crowded conditions the friendly social interactions between members of a group become reduced, and the destructive and aggressive patterns show a marked rise in frequency and intensity. Desmond Morris crowds groups friendly Life is like a very short visit to a toy shop between birth and death. Desmond Morris toys journey life We are to put it mildly, in a mess, and there is a strong chance that we shall have exterminated ourselves by the end of the century. Our only consolation will be that as a species, we have had an exciting term of office. Desmond Morris office strong world People who keep dogs live longer on average than those who do not. This is not some kind of pro-canine campaigning fantasy. It is a simple medical fact that the calming influence of the company of a friendly pet animal reduces blood pressure and therefore Desmond Morris dog heart friendship In a social environment that is ever crowded and impersonal, it is becoming increasingly important to reconsider the value of close personal relationships before we are driven to ask the forlorn question, 'Whatever happened to love?' Desmond Morris environment becoming important Biologically speaking, if something bites you it's more likely to be female. Desmond Morris talking funny science Monks, nuns, long-term spinsters and bachelors and permanent homosexuals are all, in a reproductive sense, aberrant. Society has bred them, but they have failed to return the compliment. Desmond Morris return long compliment There are one hundred and ninety-three living species of monkeys and apes. One hundred and ninety-two of them are covered with hair. The exception is a naked ape self-named Homo sapiens. The zoologist now has to start making comparisons. Where else is nudity at a premium. Desmond Morris self hair two We read off the many signals that our companions' clothes transmit to us in every social encounter. In this way, clothing is as much a part of human body language as gestures, facial expressions and postures.Even those people who insist that they despise attention to clothing, and dress as casually as possible, are making quite specific comments on their social roles and their attitudes towards the culture in which they live. Desmond Morris clothes fashion attitude A true bond of friendship is usually only possible between people of roughly equal status. This equality is demonstrated in many indirect ways, but it is reinforced in face-to-face encounters by a matching of the posture of relaxation or alertness. Desmond Morris relaxation friendship people We never stop investigating. We are never satisfied that we know enough to get by. Every question we answer leads on to another question. This has become the greatest survival trick of our species. Desmond Morris survival enough answers Artists like cats; soldiers like dogs. Desmond Morris cat artist dog I viewed my fellow man not as a fallen angel, but as a risen ape. Desmond Morris angel fellow-man men Aquatic animals suffer from the disadvantage that they cannot scream when in pain, so we find it hard to gauge the degree of their agony. If fish could scream, angling purely for sport would be outlawed without delay. Desmond Morris pain animal sports Similar Authors Dian Fossey zoologist Konrad Lorenz zoologist Peter Kropotkin zoologist All Authors
