Did anyone see the Sunday New York Times Magazine article a couple of weeks ago on the subject of animal "personalities"? It spoke of how research was being conducted that now seems to indicate that animals, from insects to dogs to primates, display what could be considered "personality traits". You know, things like timidity, aggression, cleverness, thoughtfulness, and many others that I bet you kids could think of.
I have to ask why is this such a surprise to people?! Those of us that live with animals or observed animals have no doubts that they possess complex and nuanced personalities. Why do we as humans belittle what we cannot understand? I don't get this at all.
To say that animals do not have personalitites is akin to denying the existence of a language that we cannot understand. Just because we don't get it doesn't mean that it isn't real.
Am I totally off the wall here?
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