This book starts with a simple question: what would an alien think of humans?
We feel like we're pretty normal and rational, but Steve Stewart-Williams proves otherwise in The Ape that Understood the Universe.
We're a strange primate.
The author delves into many topics, including human sexuality.
As Bill Maher said:
"There are no such things as mutual fantasies! Yours bore us; ours offend you."
The author is a big fan of Darwin, evolution, and memes.
Feminist Andrea Dworkin said that a man wants what a woman has: sex. "He can steal it (rape) persuade her to give it away (seduction), rent it (prostitution), lease it over a long-term (marriage in the US), or own it outright (marriage in most societies)."
Beauty is an odd thing, the book observes.
After spending 5 years in Africa, it seems that Africans desire white traits, given all the skin whitening products Sub-Saharans buy and the colored contact lenses.
However, in the 19th century:
"Negroes do not like the color of our skin; they look on blue eyes with aversion, and they think our noses too long and our lips too thin." – Winwood Reade, British explorer
This is a great book to give to someone who is politically correct and believes that we're all blank slates.
Reality: human carry a lot of DNA baggage.
The book has an appendix called "How to Win an Argument with a Blank Slater".
He also explains another oddity: why does human altruism exist?
The biggest weakness of this book is that it can be painfully repetitive and verbose, especially if you already buy into his arguments. He drums on them a bit too much or takes too long to get to the point. It's perfect for the skeptic.
VERDICT: 9 out 10
#TheApeThatUnderstoodTheUniverse
