Comments on: Portraits of apes

By: Patti Sundstrom

Patti Sundstrom — Mon, 07 May 2012 18:46:00 +0000

Well, I’ll be a monkey’s uncle! (or aunt as my case would be)

By: Halloween_Jack

Halloween_Jack — Mon, 07 May 2012 02:33:00 +0000

So which one is Roddy McDowell?

By: BarBarSeven

BarBarSeven — Mon, 07 May 2012 01:56:00 +0000

The 2nd one from the top right is self-aware.

By: Will Bueche

Will Bueche — Mon, 07 May 2012 01:28:00 +0000

There’s a few expressions which have different meanings though – we tend not to rip each other’s faces off if we are smiled at.

By: Ipo

Ipo — Mon, 07 May 2012 00:33:00 +0000

Go for it. Anthropomorphize. It’s safe to.
Apes are Simians (higher primates) or Old World anthropoid mammals from the superfamily Hominoidea.
Like us.
So why wouldn’t we?

By: jarmstrong

jarmstrong — Sun, 06 May 2012 23:17:00 +0000

It appears that some of the orangutans have the white sclera.

By: Ethan Taliesin Houser

Ethan Taliesin Houser — Sun, 06 May 2012 22:38:00 +0000

Batman impostor.

By: ImmutableMichael

ImmutableMichael — Sun, 06 May 2012 22:33:00 +0000

The one above him is Bi-Curious George.

By: ImmutableMichael

ImmutableMichael — Sun, 06 May 2012 22:32:00 +0000

I agree – it’s the act of anthropomorphising that overstates our uniqueness. Applying a human frame to these facial expressions won’t work, but it’s really hard to see “familiar” expressions and not assume “he’s a bit glum/angry/miffed”.

By: Antinous / Moderator

Antinous / Moderator — Sun, 06 May 2012 21:08:00 +0000

orphans of the bush meat trade and live pet trade

In before, “The obama meat trade is no better!!!”

By: 10xor01

10xor01 — Sun, 06 May 2012 20:55:00 +0000

I [like] every ape I see, from chimpan-A to chimpan-Z.

By: Ladyfingers

Ladyfingers — Sun, 06 May 2012 18:16:00 +0000

The word “anthropomorphise” grants far too much value to the uniqueness of our experiences and behaviours. We’re animals and act like it.

By: Chauncey Scott

Chauncey Scott — Sun, 06 May 2012 18:00:00 +0000

The one on the bottom right, puts the fear of Gaia into me.

By: keplers

keplers — Sun, 06 May 2012 16:59:00 +0000

‘orphans of the bush meat trade and live pet trade’

ugh. absolutely disgusting.

By: keplers

keplers — Sun, 06 May 2012 16:58:00 +0000

i think anthropomorphizing is ok. for me, there’s a difference between projecting a personality onto an animal and turning it into an extension of yourself and acknowledging that apes (or whatever animal) feel pain, they have families, social order, etc.

By: Mark Gerl

Mark Gerl — Sun, 06 May 2012 16:07:00 +0000

It would be interesting to see how closely their faces align with the Marquardt Beauty Mask, and if the proportions of the Golden Mean had any part in how and why the evolutionary branches lead to where they are.

By: Wayne Dyer

Wayne Dyer — Sun, 06 May 2012 15:52:00 +0000

Another postcard with chimpanzees
And every one is addressed to me.

By: theophrastvs

theophrastvs — Sun, 06 May 2012 15:33:00 +0000

It always struck me that if only the great apes had white sclera (the ‘whites of eye’ were white) then folks would be less able to deny the close connection. but i’m probably being too optimistic; sure seems obvious …to me. (i’ve got one uncle that looks less human than some of those photos)

By: Wreckrob8

Wreckrob8 — Sun, 06 May 2012 13:18:00 +0000

I never claimed to know that you were not a robot. But I trust you.

By: travtastic

travtastic — Sun, 06 May 2012 13:10:00 +0000

How do you know that I’m not a robot?

By: scatterfingers

scatterfingers — Sun, 06 May 2012 12:46:00 +0000

I’d imagine this reaction happens because their faces are arranged so similarly to ours and seem to have the same capability of the same expressions. So yes, because they are related to us :)

But also because of familiarity. Having worked with dogs for a while, I can instantly tell them apart easily, and also understand their expressions (which is mostly body language in dogs).

By: Rachael Hoffman-Dachelet

Rachael Hoffman-Dachelet — Sun, 06 May 2012 12:32:00 +0000

I would be very curious to see if what I assume about their personality from their expression matches with their actions.

By: Boomer

Boomer — Sun, 06 May 2012 10:25:00 +0000

”To endow animals with human emotions has long been a scientific taboo. But if we do not, we risk missing something fundamental, about both animals and us.” ~ Frans de Waal
It might be argued they are our genetic cousins; certainly worthy of our consideration and protection.

By: jtegnell

jtegnell — Sun, 06 May 2012 10:20:00 +0000

I meant simply identifying individuals, and nothing beyond that. But inferring emotions is also an interesting question.

By: Wreckrob8

Wreckrob8 — Sun, 06 May 2012 09:11:00 +0000

But the distinctions we make in detecting emotional responses are not necessarily of significance for them. How do we know that they see each other as we see them? Hard not to anthropomorphize…

By: Hakan Koseoglu

Hakan Koseoglu — Sun, 06 May 2012 09:04:00 +0000

It’s the second from the top right who nicked my wallet in Soho last night, I’m sure. And the bottom right is definitely a cheerful chappy teenager, such an innocent look. (edit: I don’t know my top from the bottom and left from right)

By: jtegnell

jtegnell — Sun, 06 May 2012 08:50:00 +0000

No kidding! Especially the gorillas.

I wonder how much of it is that we are so closely related that we are attuned to the kinds of differences.

Granted, less social animals don’t need to be so easily recognizable, and many animals like dogs probably do it more by scent. But penguins, among other social birds, seem to be able to immediately recognize each other, and birds are as visually dominant as primates. I wonder if we all look as much the same to them as they look to us.

By: Antinous / Moderator

Antinous / Moderator — Sun, 06 May 2012 08:30:00 +0000

They all look so individual.

By: ImmutableMichael

ImmutableMichael — Sun, 06 May 2012 08:25:00 +0000

OK, I’m unsettled. Trying. Not. To. Anthropomorphize….

By: SedanChair

SedanChair — Sun, 06 May 2012 08:13:00 +0000

Their noses are so…textured