#834 Tree Swinging

Some things about human nature never change. And unfortunately, rudeness is among them. It’s a basic character trait that goes back to the days of our tree-swinging past.
What do you want to bet one of our chimp forbears was always holding up tree-traffic because he was pre-occupied with his pant-hooting or jay-swinging across other folks highways?
Rudeness has been very good about adapting to new technology.
There was a recent news story about more pedestrians being injured in traffic because they were texting and not paying attention. A comedian put it that of course they were being hit by drivers who were also texting.
Sadly, it’s probably true.
They talk about cellphones possibly causing cancer over the long term. There is no definitive study yet, but indications are that certain salivary gland cancers are more prevalent amongst cellphoners. I don’t know about you, but cancer of the salivary glands sounds not as horrific as other forms. Malfunctioning spit doesn’t quite gather up the same storm cloud of impending doom.
But it is interesting to note that blackberries, which are widely touted as anti-oxidants, cancer inhibitor, and spit-enhancing mouth-watering good, are being challenged by Blackberrys, the phone devices that can cause cancer of the salivaries.
Still, the sobering fact is the likelihood of death by cellphone is much greater from jaywalking while texting than it is from death by Blackberry.
Jaywalkers have the oblivious gene to the nth degree. Witness how no jaywalker ever takes the most direct route across the street. You’ve screeched to a halt to avoid killing him, then he repays the favor and prolongs your frustration by taking the longest possible time-consuming diagonal path.
This is rudeness DNA at work. It’s basic components are, the inability to empathize with others, a total lack of courtesy and a hyper-ability to be oblivious to social and physical surroundings.
It’s a wonder the gene has survived the Darwinian struggle. You’d think people with it would be killed off by now.
Then again, social niceties like fidelity, marriage, and consensual relations probably never stopped them from spreading lots of genes as they went swinging through the trees.
America, ya gotta love it.