Comments
Mcash39 t1_j6h24k4 wrote
We are also one of the only to wield things, so showing that our hands are empty makes more sense than say a bear who would instead be showing their claws in the same position.
Dark_solder18 t1_j6h2bhh wrote
It's to show that you don't have a weapon in your hands
And no weapons = coming in peace
3_Words t1_j6h2iik wrote
literally even how handshakes started, originally people shook hands by shaking each others forearms, this was to prove you did not carry a weapon in your dominate hand.
crookshanks_cat OP t1_j6h2njq wrote
true, but we can still use our fists as weapons and we still raise our hands to show we won’t use them. other animals don’t really seem to do this when they too have fists or something to use. 🤷🏻♂️
3_Words t1_j6h3yhj wrote
we are a strange species.
Rhonijin t1_j6hbk6l wrote
We're also the same way about showing our teeth. Smiling is so natural to us, but showing your teeth like that is generally seen as a sign of aggression for most animals.
_Weyland_ t1_j6hdffb wrote
Also aren't we the only predators who demonstrate their teeth (aka smile) as a non-agressive gesture?
_Weyland_ t1_j6hdhih wrote
Is at only among predators or herbivores too?
IndianRedditor88 t1_j6hfg9m wrote
Our other Primates relatives also wield things but yeah not exactly like how we do
themasterd0n t1_j6hitaf wrote
yeah you don't say
themasterd0n t1_j6hix2y wrote
I can't think of any herbivores that bare their teeth. I can't think of any herbivores that fight much with their teeth, so baring them would have no reason to be seen as aggressive.
DoDoyesman t1_j6hixkt wrote
Depends how high you raise them.
You raise them into a guard position infront of your face I don't think anyone would think peace.
Above your head with palms forward, very peaceful.
Monke--king t1_j6hld12 wrote
We are omni omnivores not predators
Intuitshunned t1_j6hp6yc wrote
Omnivore does not cancel out predatory nature, grizzly bears are omnivores but I just saw a video of a wedding interrupted by a grizzly getting real predatory on a moose. Carnivore herbivore and omnivore refer to diet, predator and prey are behavioral.
I_am_ironic_so t1_j6hr9do wrote
Exept You Are german
pleasegivemealife t1_j6hv284 wrote
Uh... We don't tumble down and show our belly and flail our arms to show peace, like dogs... Or cats...
But now I wanna see Putin and Biden does that now...
Acualux t1_j6hwocs wrote
Showerthoughtthought: Humans really developed intelligence parallel to tools.
Wholesale100Acc t1_j6hyowv wrote
predator doesnt mean carnivore though
canubas t1_j6i0i8z wrote
Well its a deterrent like intense coloring as self defence mechanism in some animals
Intuitshunned t1_j6i242e wrote
No but at this point it is all semantics and the limits of language to communicate thoughts, in the literal sense predator is almost always synonymous with carnivorous, and only through metaphor does predator get applied to other behavior unrelated to diet. The terms are further muddied by outlier behavior such as house cats that prey on everything smaller then themselves for what seems to be entertainment, though the actions taken are identical to actual hunting behavior for food for the most part, or even stranger, predatory/carnivorous deer, scientifically accepted herbivores that have been documented preying upon eggs, birds, mice, squirrels, and carrion... but this is reddit I guess where the points don't matter and semantics can send a random stranger into a digital rage.
thecaramelbandit t1_j6i4mxz wrote
A human raising his spear/sword/hammer/gun/axe above his head is just as aggressive as a bear raising his claws.
KuaLeifArne t1_j6i4vpb wrote
I wonder what would happen if a person was left handed. Could they wield a weapon in their left hand while shaking with their right?
zanfitto t1_j6i5oyf wrote
Mainly because we're among the few species to carry lethal equipment in our hands, in a way that an open, empty hand is a sign of low agression, instead of a show of strength like claws and such
zanfitto t1_j6i5vnk wrote
A fist doesn't mean much for a convention that was stabilished after the invention of weapons
crookshanks_cat OP t1_j6i6148 wrote
idk i definitely prefer a fist up my ass
DanielWec t1_j6ibmv9 wrote
Have you met a horse?
[deleted] t1_j6ibwwg wrote
[removed]
phillmybuttons t1_j6ieg4n wrote
Clearly not been to any town at night when the clubs kick out, a regular sight near me is young men throwing arms up in the air to appear larger than the other young men whilst shouting "come on the you c**t" to some random person who is either to drunk to respond or just don't care.
Also the widening of arms which is perceived as friendly to most people takes on a sinister alternative meaning outside of Frank's kebabs & chicken at 2am, again, to look larger and more intimidating to other young lads whilst shouting "oy" to whoever bumped into them and dropped their last chicken wing.
It's all very dependent on where you live as to what these actions mean but to me, if I see someone raise their hands I'm gonna go on defense and keep an eye out rather than think they are peaceful.
[deleted] t1_j6igp3n wrote
[removed]
gluctosesandwich t1_j6ihrxn wrote
Hippos would like to have a word with you...
Doreen666 t1_j6iir4i wrote
no, it's impossible to shake a hand with something in your other hand
try it if you dont believe me
Doreen666 t1_j6iixln wrote
fists are really crap weapons. hands break easily.
we've been successful due to tools so a display of "i do not have a dangerous tool" is an obvious evolution to indicate "I am no threat" to another human
UltimateHeatBlast t1_j6il3wg wrote
We are both omnivores and predators
MEMENARDO_DANK_VINCI t1_j6ipupg wrote
Having as little as a rock in your hands makes you a deadly weapon. This is why we open our hands.
Xeludon t1_j6iq043 wrote
Orangutans and chimps use spears.
Orangutans use spears to hunt fish.
Chimps wage wars against eachother. Full on wars, with designated battlegrounds.
Science-Recon t1_j6iqgng wrote
Those two terms are not mutually exclusive.
balrus-balrogwalrus t1_j6irrb1 wrote
Also smiling and showing teeth as a sign of happiness. Show teeth to a chimp and you'd be lucky to survive with your skull intact.
phunkydroid t1_j6isj6a wrote
Right but the gesture this post is about is about showing that our hands are empty, not holding up a weapon over our heads.
themasterd0n t1_j6iwjfw wrote
Good point
[deleted] t1_j6j0sh9 wrote
[removed]
2017ccb1 t1_j6j1faw wrote
Pretty sure gorillas do
themasterd0n t1_j6j26bt wrote
Not sure about gorillas but I don't think so actually... Mostly pounding isn't it
[deleted] t1_j6j279c wrote
[removed]
Paranormalishh_ t1_j6j29aj wrote
It checks out, I just tried it, didn't work
[deleted] t1_j6j36az wrote
EmotionalConfidence1 t1_j6j4ski wrote
Right when a car lets me walk infront at a shopping complex I show my palm as a way of thanks for stopping but if I did that to an ape idk what he would be thinking
JankoDzbanko t1_j6j71dk wrote
It's pretty similar with humans as well. When you smile you only show a tiny bit of teeth maybe sometimes a little more. But go up to a mirror, rise your upper lip to expose you teeth and you'll look vicious af.
Awordofinterest t1_j6jcb08 wrote
>Orangutans and chimps use spears. >Orangutans use spears to hunt fish.
They do, Very poorly and with little success.
>Chimps wage wars against eachother. Full on wars, with designated battlegrounds.
Now this is interesting, When a group gets too large they split and often go to war with each other. Quite often they don't come to blows though, The key is how far they move from each other.
Imagine 5 years later, The new young adults come across another society they don't know. Well, now they go back to the group and make it known there are enemies nearby. Did the other group attack? They didn't need to, the fear of the unknown is enough. The elder chimps don't get a say due to the noise levels, and even if the elder chimps did try to put a stop to it, they would then be challenged as leaders, killed and overthrown, or shunned to an elderly life of solitude.
It really is interesting.
stonka_truck t1_j6jcmtr wrote
Animals wanna look big when they do it, we wanna show we're unarmed
Xeludon t1_j6jcnfa wrote
Whether or not they're successful, chimps and orangutans organising things and building tools is crazy, they're basically primitive people.
Awordofinterest t1_j6jdfdy wrote
Oh most certainly. Just by watching they learn, and have shown to teach the skills they have watched and learned to the younger generation.
I think the best 1 to pin point this isn't the use of tools/weapons. But the use of soap.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzx5zBNz_9A
Definitely doesn't seem the bar of soap will help with their foul language though.
Xeludon t1_j6jdw04 wrote
They're incredible creatures, I wonder how long it'll be before they start to create and build things, maybe small huts, houses, shelters.
I'm fairly certain we could teach them how to build and they'd remember it and pass down the knowledge.
Awordofinterest t1_j6jfyta wrote
Well they are already very good at building shelters, Orangutans, Gorillas, Chimps and Bonobos are well known to build nests in trees, but they also make use of overhanging tree branches and brush for shelter, and have been seen making their own canopies out of brush and leaves. Yes. They know how to deflect rain from overhead.
Orangutans have been seen using large leaves as umbrellas.
What scares me, that people will see what they can do, and attempt (Or reattempt, i'm sure it's been tried before) to enslave them in some way.
Xeludon t1_j6jhch4 wrote
They already do;
I can't find any links but I'm pretty sure I heard of chimps and orangutans being used in factories, might not be true though.
Awordofinterest t1_j6jj0lb wrote
Yea, maybe we should all be nuked.
Xeludon t1_j6jjho9 wrote
It would be for the best, but tbh, the primates would just pick up where we left off.
[deleted] t1_j6jt595 wrote
[removed]
Shuggaloaf t1_j6jwjvu wrote
No-View6732 is a BOT
Report > SPAM > Harmful Bots
Comment copied from u/_Weyland_:
https://www.reddit.com/r/Showerthoughts/comments/10ov6yi/humans_are_one_of_the_few_species_that_sees_the/j6hdffb/
[deleted] t1_j6k0n5s wrote
[removed]
Spredda t1_j6k32zy wrote
This is going to depend largely on where exactly in my hand the rock is.
MEMENARDO_DANK_VINCI t1_j6k3at8 wrote
Well you also gotta remember than when these speciated instincts and cultural norms were being instilled in us largely every human would know how to use a rock to defend themselves
Spredda t1_j6k49cj wrote
Oh I just meant like if I had a rock literally in my hand I'd probably be more incapacitated than anything.
[deleted] t1_j6ka0qi wrote
[removed]
jordantask t1_j6kb5or wrote
The significance of the raised hands gesture is the ability to see an open palm. You can see that nothing is inside the open palm.
It’s also not terribly efficient for humans to attempt an empty handed strike against a person with a flat, open palm this way. Boxing teaches you to throw punches the way it does because it’s the most effective way to deliver energy to a target with empty hands.
Moppeteer t1_j6kkf0s wrote
Not quite. The thing is, us raising our arms is the evolution of how other animals put themselves belly up. Think of dogs. When a dog KNOWS it cannot win a fight vs another dog (or simply doesn't want to fight, it "shows it's belly" (and by thus, raises their "arms") in a sign of peace, or to be a little more specific, submission.
yamaha2000us t1_j6kzaxe wrote
The raising of the arms is to show we are unarmed.
Our gorilla arms have been bred out of us.
[deleted] t1_j6ljrkp wrote
[removed]
[deleted] t1_j6ltcwd wrote
[removed]
DemonKing0524 t1_j6ltw82 wrote
The other commenters was suggesting people might use rocks as fist packers or as clubbing instruments. I've heard of people using lighters etc a small rock would work the same though for a fist packer. Using a rock in other ways to hit someone should be fairly self explanatory
Silent-is-Golden t1_j6lwfmc wrote
Maybe if I make myself big it will intimidate the police officer into peacefully arresting.... ha ha suckers fooled them real good... Can anyone help me post bail?
6l233Cl t1_j6lxxlq wrote
Does wigging count?
There are many friendly actions in animals.
Single_Reporter_6369 t1_j6mm6if wrote
We also show each other our teeth as a sign of being friendly.
Showerthoughts_Mod t1_j6h0rd3 wrote
This is a friendly reminder to read our rules.
Remember, /r/Showerthoughts is for showerthoughts, not "thoughts had in the shower!"
(For an explanation of what a "showerthought" is, please read this page.)
Rule-breaking posts may result in bans.