PRIMATE GROOMING

People are not content with the way God made them. Everywhere in the world, and from the evidence, as far back as maybe two or three million years, people have spent a good part of their time removing themselves from a state of nature. They cover parts up with clothing; paint their faces and bodies and dye their hair; prune their hair and beards into fanciful shapes; inscribe permanent scars, marks and tattoos on their skin; stain their teeth; punch holes in their ears, lips, noses and stick things in; and for no good reason cut off parts that you would think they might under ordinary circumstances like to hang onto, like genitals and fingers.

There are some things you just can't do for yourself. You can brush your teeth, bathe, and trim your fingernails, but unless your hairstyle is confined to a headband or ponytail, you're going to look pretty bad if you try to cut it yourself. And don't even think about doing your own dental work.

People not only like to fiddle with their bodies, they like other people to fiddle with their bodies. It's a form of communication that says, "Let's just get along for a while and not fight, okay?" We spend enormous sums and vast quantities of time grooming each other.

The Iceman, who died some 5,000 years ago, had tattoos on his lower backa part of the body that is as foreign to each person as the other side of the moon. Without a mirror, you'd go from your cradle to your grave and never see it, though other people's backs are broad and plain. There are parts of your back that you can't even reach.

People are designed to help each other. You scratch my back, and I'll scratch yours. (March 19, 1997)

3/17/99

PRIMATE GROOMING