The Ancestor's Tale

                In this novel the main point that is being expressed is that humankind did not evolve through biological means. Instead we came to our current destination through cultural evolution. The two major advances that were referred to were the agricultural revolution and the time in which culture itself was created via ornaments, paintings, storytelling and crafting.

                   The agricultural revolution was interesting because it represented the start of mankind starting to actually think of the future. To grow crops and settle down, straying from the mindset of simple hunters and gatherers. The idea of community became the basis for the evolution of many traits and skills. The ability to trade and to communicate became much more important than athleticism, though the latter was still crucial. Traits that allowed humans to participate in society, such as crafting and the arts were being introduced instead of traits common to the hunters and gatherers.

                  This is important because it shows why humans are the top organisms on the Earth currently. We were not evolutionarily selected because we were the strongest nor the fastest but because we were the smartest. Mankind talked about things that were imaginary, and flirted with ideas of what ifs and maybes. Instead of hard truths that were presented to every organism, we learned to THINK of situations that could happen and prepare for it. The fact that we had options created the gap between humans and the rest of the world.