The anthropologists got it wrong when they named our species Homo sapiens ('wise man'). In any case it's an arrogant and bigheaded thing to say, wisdom being one of our least evident features. In reality, we are Pan narrans, the storytelling chimpanzee.

Summary

This quote challenges the traditional human perception of being the "wise" species. It suggests that the naming of Homo sapiens as "wise man" is arrogant, as wisdom is not a prominent characteristic of humanity. Instead, the quote proposes that humans are better represented as "Pan narrans," the storytelling chimpanzee. It implies that our ability to tell and create stories is what distinguishes us, highlighting the importance of narratives in shaping human culture and behavior.

Topics