An article by Natalie Angier in the New York Times says that babies display many of the complex interpersonal skills that distinguish us from the other monkeys.
The story, titled "In a Helpless Baby, the Roots of Our Social Glue", goes on to argue that human parents with infants in tow needed help from others and, in order to care for their offspring, our ancestors were basically forced to learn how to get along. Ms. Angier points out that persuading "a bunch of smart, hot-tempered, suspicious, politically cunning primates to start sharing child care and provisionings...took a novel evolutionary development, the advent of this thing called trust."
In his classic book "The Art of Loving", psychologist Erich Fromm defines love as a skill and set of learned behaviors, which is more inspiring than it sounds.
Fromm writes:
The story, titled "In a Helpless Baby, the Roots of Our Social Glue", goes on to argue that human parents with infants in tow needed help from others and, in order to care for their offspring, our ancestors were basically forced to learn how to get along. Ms. Angier points out that persuading "a bunch of smart, hot-tempered, suspicious, politically cunning primates to start sharing child care and provisionings...took a novel evolutionary development, the advent of this thing called trust."
In his classic book "The Art of Loving", psychologist Erich Fromm defines love as a skill and set of learned behaviors, which is more inspiring than it sounds.
Fromm writes:
Love of the helpless, the poor and the stranger, are the beginning of brotherly love. To love ones flesh and blood is no achievement. The animal loves its young and cares for them. Only in the love of those who do not serve a purpose, does love begin to unfold.
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