The awakening of homo fatuus brutus

I’ve noticed a reluctance on the part of some to acknowledge that our species is incorrectly named. While my original idea for the renaming was related to my natural inclination to refer to an earth-moving implement as a ‘spade’, over time the concept has itself evolved…

Species name (current):
homo sapiens sapiens (‘the wise, thinking man’).

Species name (proposed):
homo fatuus brutus (‘the foolish, stupid man’).

The first step in dealing with any problem situation is to recognise the truth of that situation. Only then is it possible to move on to step two (devising solutions), and then step three (implementing appropriate solutions).

The same is true whether we’re talking about smoking, alcoholism, drug abuse, food abuse, whiz-bang gadgetry addiction, consumerism, global warming, disease, hunger, wealth inequity, overpopulation, immigration, war, species extinction…

I believe that the Dunning-Kruger effect features very highly in such matters: the most incompetent are thoroughly incapable of recognising how totally, utterly, mind-bogglingly incompetent they truly are. It’s difficult to think outside the box when you refuse to admit that the box even exists.

Given the problem domain in question, that first step is the proverbial humdinger. Or maybe that should be ‘humandinger’.

At the risk of labouring the point: if ‘homo fatuus brutus’ could be officially recognised, then maybe we as a species might be in with a chance. While we remain in denial… well, I’m quite sure you can work that one out for yourself.