Yesterday I gave an example of bad–meaning squeamish, cowardly and therefore intentionally obtuse–writing. Today I came across an example of good–meaning courageous, irreverent and therefore clear and authentic–language.
It comes in the form of a spunky almost-ninety-year-old Welsh lady named Elaine Morgan. She took the stage at TED and clearly and humorously laid out her case that we descend not from apes that stood up because they left the trees and went onto the savannah (the mainstream paradigm) but rather from aquatic apes. The video is below.
A few things, before you watch:
- Her theory is fascinating, but whether or not it convinces you is not my point. Most people are not convinced.
- My point is the clarity of her language that comes from her courage, the corollary of my view that bad writing/expression comes from fear.
- Worth noting: Morgan’s talk contains humor and sprezzatura, which often accompany courage but never cowardice.
- She nods to Thomas Kuhn, whom I declared one of the runners-up for the title of greatest thinker ever. Kuhn, remember, was the guy who described how scientists will disregard any evidence (and messenger) that does not fit their paradigm until that paradigm collapses entirely. It is her way of saying to her audience: Snap out of it and open your minds!
- Listen to her point about how to treat “priesthoods”!
- Finally, think about how she would react if new evidence came to light that proved her theory wrong but advanced our understanding. Would she be upset? Or would she celebrate?
Hannibal and Me: life lessons from history 
Should a Martian land on earth and observe animal life, including the human, he (Martians are male, by the way) might conclude that humans are not native to earth, for all the obvious reasons.
In any case, anyone with even as much as a half-brain can only – to put it very mildly – look askance at the Official Truth of the origins of humans (and much of human history), again, for all the obvious reasons. The aquatic theory of human origins makes far more sense, or I think it does.
It’s only now, on the Hannibal Blog, that I’ve dared to voice these heretical and blasphemous thoughts. But I’ll voice them no more, anywhere, and will continue to assure all and sundry that I believe the Official Truth, because I wish to live a peaceful and happy life.
“Heretical and blasphemous” no more. They have been voiced.
Whether or not the aquatic theory is the one that wins–and we’re clearly now going to start testing it–the Official Truth appears officially obsolete.