Among some animals—horses, lions, dolphins, even some primates—the dominant male in a group sometimes kills offspring of rival males to hasten sexual availability of females. A recently televised documentary showed a stallion using his teeth to grab the newborn male offspring of another stallion by the neck and thrashing it until dead.
The behavior may also represent the dominant male’s need to ensure the continuance of his genetic line rather than that of a rival male. He is driven by instinct rather than reason. Fortunately, wild stallions have only their teeth and hooves for weapons. Meanwhile, human beings have a much more extensive arsenal, one they constantly improve.
AI’s Opinion
I queried AI about a possible connection between animal infanticide and certain far-right political attitudes like Nazism, racism, and ultranationalism. The AI genie rightly cautioned against linking animal behavior with human constructs like racism and Nazism. I sensed that Artificial Intelligence was suspecting me of wanting to prove that human right-wing thinking was “natural” and therefore justified, providing for survival of the strongest genetic line and, ultimately, survival of the species. My intent, however, was the opposite.
As AI pointed out in response to my query, human beings have complex ethical and philosophical systems that aren’t easily compared with animal behavior. I heartily agree. AI, however, has been programmed to discourage pseudo-science and twisting of “evidence” in support of far-right or other extremist ideas. Being stubborn, I still wonder if autocracy appeals to some people as a “natural” (i.e., reflected in animal infanticide) alternative to democracy. If it works for horses and other mammals, why not for people?
The Appeal of Democracy
My response, like that offered by AI, is that democracy is a historically recent development as compared with tyranny, which has been with us since human and animal prehistory. Most people are smart enough to see the advantages of “one citizen, one vote,” even though a government in which most legislation is done by elected representatives—a republic—is more efficient. We commoners need only be called upon to periodically elect new representatives, from local officials up to the Chief Executive.
The First Democracy
Even the ancient Athenians, credited with inventing democracy, gave voting privileges only to free male citizens, a small fraction of the total population. Modern technology, including voting machines, mail-in ballots, surveys, etc., makes 21st-century voting easier to conduct and less likely to be falsified, Trump’s claims notwithstanding. In fact, most developed countries have a majority of voting adults who can read at some level of proficiency. That ability, coupled with a school system that exposes all students to a basic knowledge of world history, world literature and the sciences is the strongest defense against ignorance and gullibility—the best friends of autocracy.
A Modern Autocrat
One of Trump’s favorite substitutes for legitimate sources of information is this phrase: “A lotta people are saying….” An effective school system, whether public or private, would teach students to spot and reject such a blatant non-corroboration of any fact or idea. Students would also be made aware of statistical studies that refute the anti-vaccine advice broadcast by an unqualified U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services. Likewise, they would reject as dangerous and idiotic Trump’s speculation, on camera during an April 2020 news briefing, that infectious diseases might be treatable with injections of household disinfectants. (When confronted with his error, he claimed that he spoke “sarcastically,” which is impossible. If he was in his right mind when he made the recommendation, he would have seen the possibility of some people following his advice and dying as a consequence. We must conclude that he had tried to show off his innate wisdom and practicality.)
Trump 2.0
In Trump’s second term as chief executive, he is making forays into international affairs with potentially dire consequences for the entire world. The man who once suggested that we inject commercial cleaning products into our veins now has control of our military resources.
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