Many wonder about the origins of the Brazilian attitude “take advantage”. It is not exclusive to our people, as long as many other people in other countries also practice it. If we try to return to the past, maybe we will face that the origin comes from a few million years ago with the birth of “Homos” somewhere in Africa.

We have already reported here as chimpanzees bargain and take advantage when they know they’ve got something that is valuable to us and require an exchange for items of greater value. We also report here that they also practice the same policy among them, when Guga deceived Tião to convince him to exchange a shoe for a bottle of Coke. When Tião realized he had been tricked, it was too late.

Here is another example of “taking advantage”. During the morning, Emilio and Guga stay in the area of the electric fence, separated from the group, since they are the ones who respect it. I go there after lunch to stay with them, take a box for each one with some goodies and a liter of iced coconut water to each. While they taste the food, I took a nap in a hammock that exists there.

This time I went, called both and only Emilio appeared in a tunnel that gives access to other enclosures that let you see the construction workers working on three venues that are in the final stages of construction. Emilio came, I gave a box with the pleasantries, he dismissed the case, took the coconut water and drank it under the hammock. I called Guga and he did not come out of the tunnel. I took the box from him, went to the hammock and left it on its top, waiting for Guga, but without trying to sleep. Emilio drank his liter of coconut water, as who is not calling for anything, took Guga´s box and walked away, as if it was his. In reality, his goal was to get the second bottle of coconut water, which was still in Guga’s box.

When I said that this box was Guga’s, he became the forgotten, gave a forced smile and left the box near me, hiding his true intentions. For chimpanzees, coffee and coconut water are the main objects of desire in the liquid food arsenal at their disposal.

Emilio knew he was doing something wrong, using tricks, as Guga is his friend and they live together since their childhood. But the urge to “take advantage” is greater than any other sense and prevails in his conduct.

Now we can be convinced that the trickery of mankind goes back millions of years ago, when in some far place of Africa the “Homos” pre – troglodytes and pre – sapiens coexisted together.

Dr. Pedro Ynterian

President, GAP Project International

Images of Guga and Emilio