News from the Natural World: Old Man Yells at Old Man – Trump and Biden show how 21st-century leadership is done the human way.
The great human nation of the USA has recently held its leadership debate for the next election. These televised debates are a way for humans to decide who should lead them. Previously presidential debates had been honourable and intellectual affairs. They allowed human leaders to respectfully debate key issues and allow their human viewers to make measured judgements on the different courses available. In a debate that was the political equivalent of a food fight, the winner was the human who emerged least covered in slop. This was a battle like never before seen. Old Man Yells at Old Man!
Trump by his constant hectoring and interruptions seldom gave the former vice-president a chance to say something truly damaging to his own cause. All Biden had to do was show he could take a pie to the face, metaphorically speaking, and keep his cool. Trump’s entire leadership tactic seemed to revolve around him interrupting and constantly bickering about his opponent’s ideas. Whilst some humans like Trump and some humans like Biden there was only one thing clear to the animal kingdom. What an absolute farce on both sides. Was this really how humans decided to choose their leaders. Were these two geriatrics really the best two options for the supposedly great nation of the USA? What a joke thought the animal kingdom, this was no way to decide on your leader.
Old Man Yells at Old Man
In the animal kingdom, our ideas of leadership are very different. For many animals, leadership isn’t given, it is earned and remains a part of them until they pass on. There is no question of certain authority, and the leader of the group dictates hierarchy and acceptance of fellow members without question. Overall, animals have a black and white understanding of what leadership means for their species. Experience is a common trait of most successful animal leaders. It’s not how charismatic you are or who your Dad was, necessarily. Things like that are less important than the amount of experience individual animals have on the ground. In the animal kingdom leadership is not a popularity contest.