BENEATH THE PLANET OF THE APES

My buddy, Matt, emails in response to yesterday's post:

I read this morning and I have a question. I'm also thinking about it myself, but I thought I'd fire off a quick one to you before I got wrapped up in the day. I agree with your observations of human behavior. In fact, although I'm generally an optimist, when I despair, it is because I realize our issues are human, not political. Selfishness over altruism. Individual achievement over community achievement. Lack of pride or self-respect. Us versus them.

However, you applied it only to Americans. How does it apply elsewhere? Does the rest of the world being "second fiddle" automatically incline them more to altruistic points of view, but if they were on top it would be might is right all over again? Is our fault as Americans that we can't see that we're just like they were during their imperial periods?

This is a particularly interesting question in the third world. Again and again, countries fight for their freedom from imperialism and then descend into dictatorship. Did they learn this from their former masters? No, I think it's human nature. And most humans want a reasonable illusion and then to move on to buying more stuff.

Despair.

A few years back, I had a conversation with a friend, Tim, about fundamentalist Christianity. I wasn’t particularly harsh on the fundamentalists that day, but I did express my usual criticisms. Tim, no fundamentalist, has a very strong live-and-let-live philosophy: he offered something to the effect that their views are simply views, and I should pay them no mind—there are many religions throughout the world, some good, some bad. I had to think for a moment; this was an interesting position, looking down on American cultural conflict from an unbiased, neutral position. Fundamentalists are certainly entitled to their opinions, and so am I. Why should I be so critical of them?

The answer is that they are Americans. They seek to persuade other Americans to embrace their views. They have a vision for the United States that I believe is misguided and dangerous. As an American, myself, it is my civic responsibility to criticize them, my patriotic duty to persuade other Americans to embrace views that I believe are constructive and good. Because the fundamentalists are Americans and are active players in the US marketplace of ideas, I must criticize them. I wouldn’t be a very good citizen if I didn’t.

There are countless evils on the planet Earth. While our country is the source of many of these evils, it by no means holds a monopoly. I make a conscious effort to condemn any act of evil of which I hear, but I feel a special responsibility to condemn the evil of my own countrymen. As Jesus said, “Why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?” I hold America to a higher standard—I also try to hold myself to a higher standard.

The path of the monkey man tempts all human beings. Latin Americans, Europeans, Africans, Asians, Arabs, Jews, Christians, everyone, from Chimpan-A to Chimpan-Z, has an inner chimp. Some cultures minimize the ape within; others indulge it. Certainly, some cultures indulge their inner chimp more than ours does. America’s chimp, however, is unique in two ways: America has the most power, both militarily and economically; America is our country.

That’s why I wrote “THE PATH OF THE MONKEY MAN” in terms of American behavior.

In no way is my singling out America for its ape-like behavior meant to suggest that if we’re bad, then, somehow, everyone else must be good. It is interesting to note that the right wing often dismisses left-wing criticism of the US as simple America bashing. While this criticism is often unfair, I think that the right may have a point. Many leftists, in fact, loudly bash the United States, while quietly condemning or simply ignoring injustice abroad. Many times I have spoken with radicals who seemingly believe that if it’s American, it’s probably tainted. The truth is far more complicated. Leftists wrestle the ape within, too.

In my MONKEY MAN essay I wrote:

“Can the left appeal to the human intellect that exists within all Americans? Can the left beat down America’s inner chimp?”

I shouldn’t have said that. There are a lot of monkeys on the left, just as there are a lot of monkeys on the right. Stalin was a monkey. Castro is a monkey. David Horowitz has the unique status of being a monkey on the left, and then, later, being a monkey on the right.

A chimp by any other name.

Leftist ideology, alone, cannot teach apes to think. To be honest, I don’t really know what can teach apes to think.

Despair.

But not hopelessness! Here’s a silly ending:

Chimpan-A to Chimpan-Z

Troy: I hate every ape I see,
From chimpan-A to chimpanzee,
No, you'll never make a monkey out of me!

(Statue of Liberty rises)

O my God! I was wrong!
It was Earth, all along!
You've finally made a monkey,

Apes: Yes we've finally made a monkey,

Troy: Yes you've

& Apes: finally made a monkey out of me!

Troy: I love you, Dr. Zaius!

From Planet of the Apes, the Musical.

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