After devoting her life observing chimpanzee conduct, Jane Goodall became an authority on the hostile behavior of dominant males. In a newly published interview recorded shortly before her demise, the celebrated primatologist shared her unconventional solution for handling specific people she viewed as showing similar qualities: transporting them on a one-way journey into outer space.
This remarkable viewpoint into Goodall's philosophy emerges from the Netflix film "Last Statements", which was filmed in March and maintained private until after her recent demise at nine decades of life.
"I've encountered people I'm not fond of, and I would like to put them on a SpaceX vessel and send them all off to the planet he's convinced he'll find," remarked Goodall during her discussion with the interviewer.
When inquired whether Elon Musk, recognized for his disputed actions and political alliances, would be included, Goodall responded with certainty.
"Yes, definitely. He'd be the organizer. You can imagine whom I would include on that spaceship. Along with Musk would be Trump and some of Trump's loyal adherents," she announced.
"Additionally I would include the Russian president on board, and I would place China's President Xi. I'd certainly put Benjamin Netanyahu in there and his political allies. Place them all on that spacecraft and send them off."
This was not the first time that Goodall, a supporter of conservation efforts, had shared negative views about the former president specifically.
In a earlier conversation, she had remarked that he displayed "the same sort of conduct as an alpha chimp demonstrates when vying for supremacy with an opponent. They're upright, they parade, they project themselves as really more large and hostile than they truly are in order to daunt their rivals."
During her last recorded conversation, Goodall elaborated on her comprehension of leadership types.
"We observe, interestingly, two categories of alpha. One does it all by aggression, and since they're powerful and they combat, they don't endure very long. Others do it by employing intelligence, like a young male will only challenge a superior one if his ally, frequently a sibling, is alongside him. And as we've seen, they remain much, much longer," she explained.
The renowned scientist also studied the "social dimension" of actions, and what her detailed observations had taught her about combative conduct displayed by human communities and primates when confronted with something they perceived as threatening, despite the fact that no threat truly existed.
"Primates see an outsider from a neighboring community, and they get very stimulated, and their fur bristles, and they reach out and contact each other, and they display these faces of anger and fear, and it transmits, and the others absorb that sentiment that one member has had, and everyone turns combative," she described.
"It transmits easily," she continued. "Various exhibitions that become hostile, it spreads among them. Each member wishes to participate and engage and grow hostile. They're guarding their domain or battling for supremacy."
When asked if she thought similar dynamics occurred in humans, Goodall replied: "Probably, in certain situations. But I strongly feel that most people are decent."
"My primary aspiration is raising future generations of caring individuals, foundations and growth. But are we allowing enough time? I don't know. We face challenging circumstances."
Goodall, born in London prior to the start of the World War II, likened the battle with the challenges of contemporary politics to the UK resisting the Third Reich, and the "spirit of obstinance" exhibited by the prime minister.
"However, this isn't to say you won't experience moments of depression, but eventually you emerge and declare, 'Well, I won't allow to let them win'," she remarked.
"It's like the leader throughout the battle, his famous speech, we'll fight them at the coastlines, we'll fight them along the roads and metropolitan centers, afterward he commented to a friend and reportedly stated, 'and we'll fight them at the ends of damaged containers because that's all we actually possess'."
In her concluding remarks, Goodall provided motivational statements for those combating authoritarian control and the ecological disaster.
"At present, when the planet is dark, there continues to be hope. Preserve faith. Should optimism fade, you turn into indifferent and do nothing," she recommended.
"And if you want to protect what is still beautiful across the globe – should you desire to preserve Earth for the future generations, your grandchildren, later generations – then consider the choices you implement each day. Because, multiplied countless, a billion times, minor decisions will create great change."
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