Life, 1901-10-24 · page 9 of 20
Life — October 24, 1901 — page 9: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# "The Monkey's Point of View" This satirical piece uses a dialogue between a naturalist and an orangutan to critique evolutionary theory and "Progress." The monkey argues that humans, despite claiming civilization and advancement, are merely elaborations on animal instinct. He catalogs human accomplishments—"steam yachts and automobiles, libraries and pictures, wine, women and song"—but dismisses them as tools used to perpetuate base desires. His punchline: "Half of the civilized toil that the other half may play various sham games that they call Society, Power and Fame." The satire mocks both Social Darwinism (using evolution to justify human hierarchy) and the era's faith in "Progress." By placing evolutionary critique in the orangutan's mouth, the author suggests humans' proud accomplishments mask unchanging animal nature—a skeptical take on late-19th-century optimism about civilization.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Copyright, 1901, by Life Publishing Co. He: YOU'LL WAVE To GO A LONO WAY REFORE YOU WILL MEET ANTONE WHO LOVES YOU MORE THAN I. “WELL, 'M WILLING TO.'” The Monkey's Point of View. Ato RALIST once came upon an Ourang-Outang while the latter was taking his siesta under a banyan tree ina forest. The Natural- ist viewed him for a time in silence and then apostro- phized him as he might had little Harold been present. “Base brute, thou liest there with no thought beyond the gratification of thy in- stincts! And yet scientists tell us, that man, the noblest work of God, has evolved from such as thee. Insensate animal! Thou hast never had the glorious privilege of eating of the fruit of the Tree of Knowl- edge of Good and Evil.”* “Pardon me !" said the Ourang-Outang, awakening suddenly from slumber, “ I’ve had a few nibbles. Several years ago, a Scientist visited our wood, and he and I became quite chummy. He was always urging me to evolve and contended that it was quite an easy job. All I had to do, he said, was to strike fire with flint, make somo stone implements and mud pottery, and haul off my neigh- bor’s wife, thus establishing the sacred institution of the Family ; but I have a strain of caution in my blood, and, as you sce, I have rather a tidy berth here, so I demurred at the idea of exerting myself so tremendously for the doubtful good of obtaining something he called‘ Progress.’ “Well, the more I hung back, the more the Scientist urged and coaxed ; so we finally decided that if he would pay all the expenses, I would take a trip around the world with him and study various phases of civilization, and then, if I thought the game worth tho candle, I would evolve for him while he waited. “T assure you, I never was so fagged in my life. He hauled me over land and sea and showed me pleasures and team yachtsand automobiles, libraries and pictures; omen and song ; in a word, the kingdoms of earth, “When I had seen them all, I said, ‘‘ Get thee behind me, Satan.’ This splendid civilization is a masterpiece, but a masterpicce of fools. Half of the civilized toil that the other half may play various silly games that they call Society, Power and Fame.’ “What did he reply to this?” asked the Naturalist. ‘*He had no time to make reply,” answered the Ourang- Outang. ‘ Knowing him as well as I did, I was quite sure that he would convert the entire Bander-log people to his views and have all the monkeys in the country doing various stunts in their frantic efforts to evolve ; so I simply cracked his head open with a cocoanut and disposed of the question without further argument.”’ Mrs, Wilson Woodrow, comicbooks.com