The quote above, as witty (and true) as it rings, is not, unfortunately, something that David Attenborough said. Most likely, this comes from a much earlier reference, Kurt Vonnegut’s Cat’s Cradle novel, specifically in this passage:
Probably because David Attenborough narrated so many nature shows (including one called Empire Of The Ants), someone thought the quote will carry more weight. It’s a common thing these days, as we already live in a post-factual world.
The story of black and red ants placed in a jar and shaken has become an extremely popular internet meme. But where did this tale originate and is it based on fact or fiction? Let’s take a closer look at the curious case of black and red ants in a jar.
The Viral Meme
The core story that has gone viral online goes something like this
If you put 100 black ants and 100 red ants in a glass jar, nothing will happen The two groups will coexist peacefully. But if you take the jar and shake it violently, then place it back on the table, the ants will start killing each other The red ants will see the black ants as the enemy, and vice versa. When in reality, the true enemy is the person who shook the jar.
Variations on this theme then go on to draw comparisons to society – how various groups are pitted against each other, when the real enemy is some outside force “shaking the jar” and creating divisions
This simple tale has spread far and wide on social media in recent years. Posts featuring glossy graphics and photos of red and black ants in a jar have racked up tens of thousands of shares and reactions on Facebook. The meme is frequently falsely attributed to famous naturalist David Attenborough.
Origins and Authorship
The viral story of warring ants does not actually originate from David Attenborough. The beloved British broadcaster has never been found making such a claim.
The earliest known iteration of this tale comes from an anonymous Facebook post in October 2020. Attenborough’s name wasn’t attached to the story until several months later in early 2021. Fact-checking website Snopes has debunked the attribution to Attenborough as false.
So where did the ant parable truly come from? Many internet researchers believe it was likely inspired by a passage in Kurt Vonnegut’s 1963 novel Cat’s Cradle:
“I can’t remember what all Frank had fighting in the jar that day, but I can remember other bug fights we staged later on: one stag beetle against a hundred red ants, one centipede against three spiders, red ants against black ants. They won’t fight unless you keep shaking the jar. And that’s what Frank was doing, shaking, shaking the jar.”
This segment features the key elements of the meme – red ants, black ants, and shaking a jar to incite war. But it stops short of explicitly drawing any societal metaphors.
Is the Science Sound?
The viral ant story may have literary origins, but does it hold up scientifically? Are red and black ants essentially peaceful until external forces intervene?
The general consensus from entomologists seems to be not exactly. Ant behavior is quite complex and dependent on numerous factors. Different species have distinct levels of aggression. Some types will fight to the death over territory, while others can coexist in closer quarters. Shaking up colonies could potentially make them more aggressive temporarily, but outcomes will vary greatly.
In other words, the universal application of this parable to all ants everywhere is an over-simplification. The world of ants is far more nuanced than a cut-and-dry morality tale. But the story still works effectively as a metaphor, even if literal ant wars may not play out in such black-and-white terms.
Why Does the Story Resonate?
Metaphors aside, why has this basic tale struck such a collective chord and spread so rapidly online in recent years? A few factors help explain its viral success:
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Simplicity – The concise story is easy to comprehend and remember. Short parables tend to hold more social media appeal.
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Adaptability – The ant analogy can be molded to reference many types of societal divides. Any “us vs. them” group conflict fits the shaking jar narrative.
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Current events – The meme gained traction during a period of heightened political and cultural clashes. The metaphor resonates with those feeling bombarded by outrage and division.
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Mystery authorship – The lack of a known original source adds intrigue and allows diverse groups to appropriate the tale for their own purposes.
While its scientific accuracy may be questionable, this pithy parable offers easily digestible food for thought. The curious case of black and red ants in a jar will likely continue sparking discussion about societal friction for years to come.
What Is The Jar?
The bottom line is that there is an innate tendency for cooperation in all sentient beings. But when two allegedly different groups (red or black ants, black or white people, pro-vaccine or anti-vaccine people) are violently shaken, they rush in finding the responsible for their problems in the closest group they can see.
In the midst of the storm, they lack the patience and clarity to look beyond their collective life, and see if there’s something else beyond that. They might not even be equipped to understand the beings who are shaking the jar.
Or they may think no one is shaking the jar, that’s how life is, conflictual and aggressive. If they were born after the shaking began, then they literally don’t have any other understanding of life. For someone born during war, peace is stressful.
So the real challenge is not thinking outside of the box, but thinking outside of the jar.
Because there will always be a jar that encompasses us, that groups us on various levels. It may be an invisible jar separating us by the color of our skin, by the amount of wealth we possess, by historical belonging to a cast system, by a million and one other causes.
And yet, the natural tendency, the one that can be observed in any sentient beings when context is not stressful, is the one of peaceful cooperation.
The Message Should Not Be Obfuscated By The Messenger
So, what do we do now? We have a quote which rings true, but after some significant digging, we find out that the quote was misattributed. The closest thing to the quote comes from a Sci-Fi novel, a work of fiction.
Is it then fundamentally untrue?
I’m sure there are anecdotal experiments about that. I even remember I was catching bees as a kid myself and put them in a jar. I don’t remember any of them fighting with each other. But I do remember them getting nervous if their surrounding was getting stressful (if they ran out of air, for instance).
So, the source of the quote is hazy. Does this makes it less credible? If we go that route, then we should probably start with the Bible. It went through so many modifications, adjustments, translations and I know everybody knows that. And still, the moral value of the Bible is still one of its most important attributes, shaping behaviors, lives, communities, for thousands of years.
100 red ants + 100 black ants in a jar (great metaphor for life)
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