Caught up in the social networking of the 21st century, we forget how different dating and meeting potential partners was in earlier years. 600 years ago, for example, children of nobility were offered as marriage partners in order to cement diplomatic and political relations despite the fact that they were still toddlers. Marriages were made across cultural and language barriers all the time. No regard was paid to the trouble the newly weds would have with communication or vastly different customs.
In even earlier times, it must have been much harder. In fact, we now know that early humans crossed the species barrier in their search for mates. When you consider how strongly some people insist on their children marrying someone of the same race or creed today, it must have been remarkable to have to go so far to find a mate for your child.
Scenario
Mom (to son): So Bobo (I don't know any prehistoric names; they are prehistoric, after all, so you will need to use your imagination here and bear with me.), who are you taking to the prom this year?
Bobo: I can't get anyone to go to the prom with me. Everyone says I am ugly and stupid.
Mom: Oh, Bobo. You're not ugly! All you need to do is comb your hair so that it covers your eyebrows. Nobody will notice that you don't have much of a forehead. Here... let me do it for you... there! See? It completely covers that narrow gap!
Who have you asked?
Bobo: I asked Meemee (Bear with me, OK?!).
Mom: Hmm. And even SHE didn't want to go out with you?
Bobo: No.
Mom: What about one of those girls from the school across the river?
Bobo: But Mommm! They are not even human!
Mom: Well... they're close enough. Some of them even walk upright! And I noticed a couple of them handling tools as well.
Bobo: Aww Mom! I can't go to the prom with one of them! What would my friends say?
Mom: What friends? Surely you can find a cute one to take?
Bobo: I don't know... (he kicks the sand at his feet, raising a small cloud of dust)
Mom: You need to be more aggressive, Bobo. A nice girl is not just going to fall into your lap. Here... while you are thinking about it. Go get some water from the river.
Bobo: Yes, Mom.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the river...
Mom: So Shela (Is that better?), who are you going to go to the prom with this year?
Shela: Aww Mom. I don't want to go to the prom. All the boys are such jerks.
Mom: What about Gugu, that nice boy from the cave in the valley?
Shela: Are you kidding? Nice? Mom! He drools and is the stupidest boy in my flint class.
Mom: Hmm... so what are you planning to do? This is your senior year, so I am sure you don't want to miss out on going to your last prom!
Shela: I don't know. (she kicks the sand around at her feet, raising a small cloud of dust)
Mom: I know! Why don't you go with one of those humans across the river? Some of them are pretty cute and I think they are smart too.
Shela: I wouldn't mind, but how will I get their attention? They are so stuck up over there with their furs across their cave mouths.
Mom: Maybe we could go along the river for a walk and get one of them to notice you.
Shela: You think? When would be a good time?
Mom: Let's go now and see.
So they stroll down to the river and just as they come to the edge of the water, they see Bobo dipping his gourd into the stream. He looks up and his eyes meet Shela's. The species gap is bridged as they see something in each other's look that draws them inexorably together. This is probably how bridges were invented too.
And thus modern humans came to be – made of the connections of thousands and thousands of years and millions upon millions of humans and other species. But for the courage and willingness to cross the species line, we would be diminished today. We can also be happy that our ancestors intermingling was all with other Homo-types. Imagine how different we would be if they had been "doing it" with goats!
Indeed, in some countries, like China, today there are too many males and not enough females. Instead of whining about the problem, the men should take a lesson from our human past and think more broadly about their prospective mates. Some of the Orangutans can be pretty cute. All we need to do is set them up on Facebook and China's marriage-deficit problem is solved!
No comments:
Post a Comment