Guest
I just had to post this. I hope I'm not violating netiquet.
On Thanksgiving Day, like most Americans, I sat down to a turkey dinner with family and friends. That got me to thinking about turkeys.
The wild turkey is a lean, fast-moving bird that is reputed to be quite clever. It can run at 25 mph and fly at 55 mph. The Founders considered it for our national symbol, though the flashier bald eagle was chosen. But then something happened.
Turkeys were domesticated. They were bred for tender meat. They became too heavy to fly or run fast. In the process, their brains shrank. They became too stupid to protect themselves. It is said that turkeys sometimes look upward in a rainstorm until they drown. Whether or not this is so, they clearly aren't the Einsteins of the bird world.
Domestic turkeys' deficiencies aren't important, so long as the farmer continues to provide food and protection from predators. But the poor birds wouldn't be able to survive on their own, as do their wild cousins. They couldn't find food, or protect themselves and their young. They couldn't recognize enemies, much less fight or flee.
Are these stupid creatures the only ones that have been so domesticated that they have lost the ability to protect themselves and their young? Are they the only ones that have had the independence and cunning bred out of them? Are they the only ones that depend on their owners to feed and protect them? Are they the only ones that have become property rather than self-reliant individuals?
Regrettably, there are human turkeys who have become so used to being cared for that they are now unable to recognize enemies, much less to protect themselves and their young. There are human turkeys who have been treated as domestic animals for so long that they have come to think of themselves that way.
And in the process, their brains shrank. Overall intelligence remained the same. The shrinkage was localized to the segment of the brain that recognizes danger and evokes a vigorous response. The deficiency developed in the part of the personality that sees itself as a responsible individual, rather than a mere member of a flock. The deficit appeared in the portion of the mind that initiates action on its own behalf, rather than waiting for the owner to do something.
Consider the differences between wild and domestic turkeys. Consider which type many of us have come to resemble. Then consider which of them would be the more appropriate symbol of modern Americans.
Wild turkeys are naturally lean and muscular. They must be able to move fast to escape enemies. But many Americans, especially young ones, are overweight to the point of obesity. They eat huge portions of fattening foods and get little exercise.
Wild turkeys are alert and cunning. They have to be to stay alive. But many Americans have lapsed into a pacifist stupor. They are interested only in making money and having fun, and they assume everyone is like them
On Thanksgiving Day, like most Americans, I sat down to a turkey dinner with family and friends. That got me to thinking about turkeys.
The wild turkey is a lean, fast-moving bird that is reputed to be quite clever. It can run at 25 mph and fly at 55 mph. The Founders considered it for our national symbol, though the flashier bald eagle was chosen. But then something happened.
Turkeys were domesticated. They were bred for tender meat. They became too heavy to fly or run fast. In the process, their brains shrank. They became too stupid to protect themselves. It is said that turkeys sometimes look upward in a rainstorm until they drown. Whether or not this is so, they clearly aren't the Einsteins of the bird world.
Domestic turkeys' deficiencies aren't important, so long as the farmer continues to provide food and protection from predators. But the poor birds wouldn't be able to survive on their own, as do their wild cousins. They couldn't find food, or protect themselves and their young. They couldn't recognize enemies, much less fight or flee.
Are these stupid creatures the only ones that have been so domesticated that they have lost the ability to protect themselves and their young? Are they the only ones that have had the independence and cunning bred out of them? Are they the only ones that depend on their owners to feed and protect them? Are they the only ones that have become property rather than self-reliant individuals?
Regrettably, there are human turkeys who have become so used to being cared for that they are now unable to recognize enemies, much less to protect themselves and their young. There are human turkeys who have been treated as domestic animals for so long that they have come to think of themselves that way.
And in the process, their brains shrank. Overall intelligence remained the same. The shrinkage was localized to the segment of the brain that recognizes danger and evokes a vigorous response. The deficiency developed in the part of the personality that sees itself as a responsible individual, rather than a mere member of a flock. The deficit appeared in the portion of the mind that initiates action on its own behalf, rather than waiting for the owner to do something.
Consider the differences between wild and domestic turkeys. Consider which type many of us have come to resemble. Then consider which of them would be the more appropriate symbol of modern Americans.
Wild turkeys are naturally lean and muscular. They must be able to move fast to escape enemies. But many Americans, especially young ones, are overweight to the point of obesity. They eat huge portions of fattening foods and get little exercise.
Wild turkeys are alert and cunning. They have to be to stay alive. But many Americans have lapsed into a pacifist stupor. They are interested only in making money and having fun, and they assume everyone is like them
