Long Before Darwin...

Ugg hitched up his tiger skin loin cloth, grabbed his spear and headed off to his job of hunting meat for his family. About a mile out from his cave he happened upon Grunk, heading back to his own home. He was struggling to drag along the carcass of a small herbivore.

“Yo, Ugg,” groaned Grunk, “Could you do me a solid and help me get the groceries home? I’m getting kinda old for hunting. I turned 28 last week.”

“Grunk,” replied Ugg. “You know my feelings on helping the competition. We’re here because of natural selection. We must maintain superior evolutionary fitness. But my helping you would defeat the concept of survival of the fittest.”

“Have you considered, Ugg, that living as a clan, sharing responsibilities and resources, might be a better way to live?” asked Grunk. “Perhaps call it teamwork, survival of the most adaptable?”

“No can do, Grunk. I have moral and philosophical objections to such communal culture.”

“So, short answer, you’re not going to help me.”

“No,” said Ugg, as he turned his back on Grunk and walked away. Shortly thereafter, Ugg spotted a juvenile beast alone at a watering hole. The animal had his back to Ugg, so he couldn’t be sure what type it was, but he was confident he could spear it easily and quickly.

As Ugg crept forward, there came a sudden thunderous roar when a mother Tyrannosaur caught sight of him stalking her hatchling. Ugg immediately turned tail and ran as fast as his feet would carry him back towards his cave.

Approaching Grunk’s home, Ugg yelled, “Grunk, I take it all back. Survival of the fittest is a bunch of hooey. I now believe in sharing and teamwork. So could you do me a favor? Like NOW!”