saber-toothed cats are actually an entirely different lineage from what are called conical-toothed cats, that diverged about 20 million years ago. all saber-toothed cats are extinct, and all extant cats are conical-toothed, and descended from conical-toothed ancestors; there are no living cats descended from saber-toothed cats
On one hand, I think that it’s fair to point out, and an interesting point.
But…on the other hand, I also think that generally when people say “we did X”, they’re often including people who aren’t their direct ancestors. And the degree to which they do that is context-dependent. Though they probably aren’t going back anything like 20 million years, either, in any kind of common context.
What’s our closest living relative?
searches
Looks like chimpanzees and bonobos, and our last common ancestor was maybe 5–13 million years back.
I guess we would include 'em in “we” if someone was saying “we left the oceans”. But they aren’t gonna make the in-group for “we won that sports game last night”.
saber-toothed cats are actually an entirely different lineage from what are called conical-toothed cats, that diverged about 20 million years ago. all saber-toothed cats are extinct, and all extant cats are conical-toothed, and descended from conical-toothed ancestors; there are no living cats descended from saber-toothed cats
Indeed. The fantasy of the past being better than the present is often rooted in falsehoods.
On one hand, I think that it’s fair to point out, and an interesting point.
But…on the other hand, I also think that generally when people say “we did X”, they’re often including people who aren’t their direct ancestors. And the degree to which they do that is context-dependent. Though they probably aren’t going back anything like 20 million years, either, in any kind of common context.
What’s our closest living relative?
searches
Looks like chimpanzees and bonobos, and our last common ancestor was maybe 5–13 million years back.
I guess we would include 'em in “we” if someone was saying “we left the oceans”. But they aren’t gonna make the in-group for “we won that sports game last night”.