The difference between evolution and devolution isn't always clear to me. Sometimes moving forward means returning to a previous state, perhaps one better suited to the current environment. On the other hand, devolution doesn't necessarily require retrograde motion; it's possible to move forward without gain. Lossless motion can occur in either direction, but motion doesn't always improve things. Sometimes it just musses your hair.
It's confusing. Sure, I can change my DNA as easily as the next guy, but what if I don't want to look like him? What if I like my ears right where they are? Just because something is possible, that doesn't automatically make it beneficial, especially when it comes to ears, or fingers. Maybe you think it would be cool to have feathers instead of fingers, because that way you could flap around the room like some kind of demented bird, and all your friends would call you up and invite you to parties.
Only you couldn't hear them because you need at least one ear for that sort of thing. That's all I'm really trying to get across here.
Fun piece -- very funny! I agree with your suggestion that forward thinking can lead to a step backward. With Devo popping up on my iTunes random playlist on a daily basis, I'm always contemplating devolution.
ReplyDeleteAre you writing some gory novel about a post-global warming earth in which people are forced to evolve in order to survive in their environments? Write me in as the hairless duckbilled stockroom clerk, please. Also, is it trendy to wear plaid underwater?
ReplyDeleteThanks, Craig. Devo pops up on my playlist, too -- always a devolutionary trip to the past.
ReplyDeleteNo novels, RMM. Not enough time left for that now. But yeah, plaid always makes a bold fashion statement, in or out of the water.
As I clicked on this post, Devo's song "Devo Has Feelings Too" from the album SmoothNoodleMaps just started playing in my iTunes random playlist.
ReplyDeleteI'm afraid to launch iTunes now. So many odd coincidences during the past few days that I could expect to hear the same song. Which would blow a fuse.
ReplyDelete