Chimps and Humans

Even from the outside, there are similarities between humans and chimps that are quite apparent. However, it is interesting how such a minor percentage of difference in our DNA can manifest as such a great difference in the development of each species in terms of language, technology, philosophy, the arts and agriculture etc. I'm not necessarily saying that chimps are necessarily inferior, but there are enough significant distinctions in development that lead me to think that humans and chimps should still be placed in their own genus.

On Darwinism and Evo Devo

When I examine the world around me, I cannot find anything that is fixed and permanent. When I look at my own mind and body I also find this to be true. Everything I can think of is made up of other components, and therefore has a beginning, a middle and an end. Since there is evidence all around me that everything is subject to change, Darwin's theory of evolution makes complete sense. As we discussed in this week's class, it is interesting to observe the physical aspects of our human body which are slowly becoming unnecessary such as the appendix, wisdom teeth and the tail bone. I started to think about the future impact of current technology on the evolution of our minds and bodies. If the term Survival of the Fittest implies that the species that continues on is not necessarily the strongest, but the most fit for its surrounding environment, where does that leave all of us who are living life in this modern technological age? In general we are living so much more in our minds and less in our bodies. Our need to hunt and gather is now less in the form of being out in nature, being in touch with the plants and animals and more in the form of going to the supermarket and buying food out of packages. As our technology develops at such a rapid rate, it seems to open up a world of new possibilities for us, but we are also becoming more disconnected with nature which has been such a key part of our survival. Surely this will effect on the way our minds and bodies will develop. Will we become more isolated from each other? Will our muscles become less powerful and will we become fatter from being so sedentary? How will our eyes develop as a result of all these screens? Will we be hairless? Here are some examples I found on what other people imagine humans of the future might look like- all a bit creepy no?

My Bio

I was born on April 4th, 1980 in Los Angeles but we moved to Australia when I was a few months old. After graduating high school, I took a gap year to work and travel and then went on to Bard College in upstate New York, where I majored in Asian Studies. I graduated in 2003 and was invited to film The Dalai Lama inaugurating the first Tibetan Buddhist monastic college in India. I then decided that I wanted to pursue a career in cinematography. I moved to L.A. and began to work as a camera assistant. I finally felt that I had found my calling but then I fell ill and could no longer handle the physical intensity of the job. I was out of commission for a year or more but thanks to acupuncture I was able to get back on my feet. In the meantime, I fell in love with someone who lived in Berkeley, which is how I wound up here. After taking the Medical Qi Gong Program with Suzanne Friedman, I was inspired to learn more about Chinese Medicine so I finally took the leap and applied to AIMC. This is my first trimester.

Week 1 Discussion

After considering the article “Boys like blue, girls like pink- it’s in our genes” I am not at all convinced that our color preferences are defined by our genes- I feel that color preference is way more affected by psychological factors and cultural conditioning. What we see in our homes, in nature and the cultural context in which we are born, all make a huge impression on the way we perceive things. As a result, distinctions between good and bad, like and dislike, seem to develop quite early on. Before children learn to verbally communicate, colors are a primary form of language. I think that when children begin to socialize with their peers, color preference develops as a way of relating to the people and environment one is surrounded by. The notion that pink is feminine and blue is masculine is so heavily perpetuated by product manufacturers of clothing and toys. It seems like such an absurd brainwash to see the color segregation that is displayed in kid’s stores. It makes me wonder on a broader scale, how many of us truly know what we prefer when so many of our inclinations and beliefs are influenced by other people’s opinions whether it be family, media, culture or otherwise.




I guess this man didn't get his genetic memo