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"... some have suggested that Neanderthals did not go extinct..."
IV 89451 (EOC Syndicated)--Often used but seldom explained, the phrase "Neanderthal thinking" has once again surfaced, this time the White House reaction to the "masks off" orders from the executive offices of Texas and Mississippi. Straight out of the Minnesota Department of Anthropology, Gilliane Monniere gives a brief background to our Cro-Magnon mancestors;
"They excelled at hunting animals and making complex stone tools, and their bones reveal that they were extremely muscular and strong, but led hard lives, suffering frequent injuries. There is no doubt that Neanderthals were an intelligent species, successfully adapted to their environment for over 200 millenia.(Monniere, Nature)
That tells a whole lot about the extinct species of man, but very little about the origin of the phrase. Obviously the Neanderthals didn't come up with it and doubtful its immediate descendant was aware of the one quality that separates man from the rest of the plants and animals on the planet, the ability to reason. Many records just don't go back far enough to determine where the phrase originated but for the sake of the next stage in the development of mankind, Homo Sapiens, at least one phrase bears a striking resemblance;
"Cogito, Ergo Sum!"
Just how far the mind can be led into deception by this fundamental assertion did not concern the Neanderthal, far more interested in leading a "hard life," content with stone tools for use in hunting animals. The search for the origin of the phrase is directed toward primary sources. In a letter to the Burlington Free Press way back in the Stone Age days of the Great Depression, one editorial contributor noted Vermont's opposition to the New Deal;
"Vermont shows a gain for Roosevelt of 6.05 percent as compared with the average net gain for the 48 states at 5.39 percent. This change indicates that while Neanderthal thinking still persists in this state, we may gradually be coming out of the Stone Age." (Lease, D.R.)
The author of the letter to the editor did not reference where he found the statistics to show the Neanderthal approval rating for the New Deal. Again, the phrase appears with respect to politics; this time in 1953 in the Madison, Wisconsin Capital Times;
"Here's a barometer to the Neanderthal thinking going on in Washington...The other day Rep. (Dan) Reed (R-N.Y.) had this to say: 'Reciprocal trade is the invention of Alger Hiss'."
When asked what he meant, the congressman repeated himself. Alger Hiss was convicted for perjury related to spy accusations leveled at him during the McCarthy witch hunt years. The most interesting takeaway from the statement is that it might suggest the Neanderthal was responsible for the discovery of the barometer. The Los Angeles Mirror reported in 1958 that the president of the Men's Apparel Guild, Joe Well, protested the City College ban of Bermuda shorts;
"It's Neanderthal thinking...Those who affect leather boots and T-shirts are considered legitimate with the 'zombie' look..." (Well, J., 14)
There is something to be said for the thinking Neanderthal showing up on campus in a pair of Bermuda shorts. Writing for the New York Times and published in the Des Moines Register, columnist Arthur Crock accused the John Birch Society of Neanderthal thinking. (Krock, 4) In 1963, Gene Ward reported on the feud between the NFL commish and broadcast networks over the big game and when to turn on the stadium lights;
"Unfortunately, Rozelle is knocking his head against a stone wall of Neanderthal thinking on the part of certain owners, and a change of the NFL ground rules as regards the championship may be difficult to come by." (Ward, G., 49)
From all of the above, the modern Neanderthal is anti-Roosevelt, a McCarthyite with knowledge of atmospheric pressure gauges, against Bermuda shorts at college, no friend of the Birchers and will play the second-half in the dark. For those still a bit confused as to the origin of the expression, the anthropologist Monniere could only add;
"Finally, some have suggested that Neanderthals did not go extinct, but were assimilated into populations of modern humans (Smith et al. 2005). Recent genetic studies have shown that modern European and Asian DNA contains 1–4% Neanderthal genes. This suggests that before Neanderthals became extinct, some, at least, interbred with modern humans (Green et al. 2010)." Monniere, Nature)
Sen. Marsha Blackburn Defends the Vital American Neanderthal Vote From Democratic Slander
Biden's 'Neanderthal Thinking' Remark Prompts Furor in Mississippi, Texas
Texas Gov. Abbott blames Covid spread on immigrants, criticizes Biden’s ‘Neanderthal’ comment
"President Biden's use of an old stereotype is hurtful to modern Europeans, Asians & Americans who inherit about 2% of their genes from Neanderthal ancestors," tweeted Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla. "He should apologize for his insensitive comments and seek training on unconscious bias."
Cited
Cogito, Ergo Sum, Descartes - Philosophy of Cosmology (ox.ac.uk)
Lease, D.R., The Burlington Free Press, 09 July 1934, Page 6.
Reed, Hiss, Capital Times, 01 May 1953, Page 20
Alger Hiss, Was Washington official Alger Hiss a Communist Spy? (historynet.com)
Well, J., "Shorts Ban in College Criticized," The Los Angeles Mirror, 28 April 1958, 14.
Krock, A., "Krock Twits Rockefeller on his 'Manifesto," Des Moines Register, 20 July 1963.
Ward, G., "Ward to the Wise," NY Daily News, 23 December 1963.
Neanderthal image 001, credit to Nature.com
Neanderthal image 002, New Scientist
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