Desmond Morris
Desmond Morris
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Full Name and Common Aliases
Desmond John Morris is a British anthropologist, ethologist, author, and broadcaster. He is also known as Des Morris.
Birth and Death Dates
Born on January 24, 1944, in Purley, Surrey, England, Morris is still active today.
Nationality and Profession(s)
A renowned expert in animal behavior and human evolution, Morris's work spans multiple fields: anthropology, ethology, writing, and broadcasting. As a professor of zoology at University College London, his expertise extends to the study of non-human primates and mammals.
Early Life and Background
Growing up during World War II had a profound impact on Morris's worldview. His mother was a nurse, and he often witnessed patients with mental health conditions being treated inhumanely. This early exposure sparked his interest in understanding human behavior and its relationship to the natural world.
Morris earned his degree from University College London (UCL) and went on to earn his Ph.D. in zoology from the same institution. His studies focused primarily on non-human primates, laying the foundation for his later work on human evolution and social behavior.
Major Accomplishments
Desmond Morris has made significant contributions to both scientific research and popular culture. Some of his key achievements include:
Writing over 30 books on topics such as human evolution, animal behavior, and art.
Developing the concept of "Gestural Communication," which highlights the role of body language in non-human primates and humans alike.
Serving as a professor at UCL for many years, teaching courses on zoology and anthropology.Notable Works or Actions
Morris has authored numerous books that have become bestsellers. Some notable works include:
The Naked Ape (1967): An influential book exploring the evolutionary roots of human behavior.
* Gestural Communication in Primates and Humans (1986): A comprehensive study on body language and its significance in animal communication.
Impact and Legacy
Desmond Morris's work has had a lasting impact on various fields. His research on non-human primates and mammals has shed light on the intricate social dynamics of these species, ultimately contributing to our understanding of human behavior. By bridging the gap between science and popular culture, Morris has made complex concepts accessible to a broad audience.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
Morris's contributions to science, literature, and broadcasting have earned him recognition as one of the most influential thinkers of his generation. His ability to communicate complex ideas in an engaging and relatable manner has inspired countless readers and viewers worldwide.
Quotes by Desmond Morris
The word ‘love’ is, in fact, the way we commonly describe the emotional feelings that accompany the imprinting process.
Frequently we imagine that we are behaving in a particular way because such behaviour accords with some abstract, lofty code of moral principles, when in reality all we are doing is obeying a deeply ingrained and long ‘forgotten’ set of purely imitative impressions.
The establishment’s reply is that dissenting students are bent, not on positive innovation, but on negative disruption. Against this, however, it can be argued that these two processes are very closely related and that the former only degenerates into the latter when it finds itself blocked.
In an earlier chapter I mentioned recent research which has shown that the preference for sweet and fruity odours falls off dramatically at puberty, when there is a shift in favour of flowery, oily and musky odours. The juvenile weakness for sweetness can be easily exploited, and frequently is.
We like to think of this as the conquest of bestial weaknesses by the powers of intellectual altruism, as if ethics and morality were some kind of modern invention. If this were really true, it is doubtful if we would be here today to proclaim it. If we did not carry in us the basic biological urge to co-operate with our fellow men, we would never have survived as a species.
A belief in the validity of the acquisition of knowledge and a scientific understanding of the world we live in, the creation and appreciation of aesthetic phenomena in all their many forms, and the broadening and deepening of our range of experiences in day-to-day living, is rapidly becoming the ‘religion’ of our time.
No matter how old we become, we can still call them ‘Holy Mother’ and ‘Father’ and put a child-like trust in them.
In a social environment that is ever crowded and impersonal, it is becoming increasingly important to reconsider the value of close personal relationships before we are driven to ask the forlorn question, ‘Whatever happened to love?’
it has been shown off, concealed, styled, cut, trimmed, extended, straightened, waved, put up, let down, colored and decorated in a thousand ways.