THE PARADISE OF THE APES
The ape inside us is always ready to take the throne the moment it senses freedom
Let’s start with a simple thought experiment:
What would you do if I gave you every earthly resource imaginable?
Let me be more specific:
Unlimited financial power. A position above all political authorities, with the ability to make them do whatever you want. Perfect health, agility, energy. As many people as you need at your service—fully devoted and loyal.
You name it.
And to top it off, you have ten whole years to use all of this.
What would you do?
Let’s add one more condition: You must use these powers for the good of humanity. Because you’re a kind-hearted, idealistic soul who cares deeply for others.
Where would you begin?
But hold on—I have one small rule.
You can’t ask anyone for advice.
No consulting others. No reading books. No taking courses. No watching YouTube videos for inspiration. No copying anything.
It’s just you and whatever knowledge and experience you’ve gathered until now.
So, go ahead—what would you do?
Getting harder, isn’t it?
Still, not having everything is better than having nothing.
While you’re pondering what you could actually do under these conditions, allow me to offer a different perspective.
For thousands of years, humans have been trying to reshape the world.
We simply can’t help ourselves.
We work endlessly to make life better, to earn more, to live longer, to feel safer, to move faster.
From ancient kings who gathered their best craftsmen to build massive tombs, to today’s tech entrepreneurs chasing the future—we’ve always been trying to create something.
We build.
We destroy.
We transform.
We act on whatever ideas fill our minds, whatever desires stir in our hearts.
Even if not everyone is dreaming up grand philosophical or technological ideas, we all carry other powerful desires:
To taste every kind of food, to travel everywhere, to be intimate with as many people as we wish…
And most of us can’t fulfill these desires—not because we don’t have them, but simply because we don’t have the means.
Yes, many people are kind, polite, helpful, or “innocent” just because they never had the chance to be otherwise.
After all, until we are truly tested, how can we know whether we are genuinely loyal to our principles—or simply kept in check by circumstance?
When we make our own choices, follow our own impulses, and do as we please, we tend to call it "freedom."
We often see societal and moral boundaries as obstacles to that freedom.
Especially when we’re young, we believe that if only there were no rules, no traditions, we could be free like gazelles, lions, or butterflies.
But as we grow older, we begin to realize something:
We are not butterflies.
We’re not simple creatures who can live in balance with nature guided only by instinct.
We are complex beings who need rules, order, methods, and guidance.
A wise person who truly knows themselves can develop these on their own.
But most of us spend many confused, trial-filled years before reaching that level of self-knowledge—if we ever reach it at all.
And even if we make some good choices along the way, it often takes years to realize which ones were truly wise.
If we’re lucky.
That’s why we need another system to prepare us for life and protect us from making costly mistakes too early: tradition and culture.
If we’re fortunate, we encounter the right “codes” early enough in life.
They arm us against life’s challenges—whether social, emotional, or physical—before we’re tested.
But if we don’t personally experience and internalize these codes, they remain mere words.
And even if we do acquire wisdom, it doesn’t mean we’ll always follow it.
They say: “Eat in moderation.”
We rarely listen.
“Speak less.”
We hardly remember.
“Don’t gossip.”
We almost never hear that one.
Why?
Because our inner ape, our “appetite,” almost always wants the opposite.
That’s why we often make foolish choices.
This is exactly why the environment we live in plays such a vital role in keeping us on track.
But change the environment—the country, the culture, the time, the social status—and everything shifts.
The ape inside us is always ready to take the throne the moment it senses freedom.
Our collective behavior isn’t much different.
Even if we’re not individually wise, society helps keep us aligned.
That’s why we act differently when we’re alone versus when we’re among others.
Shared values guide us more powerfully than self-discipline—especially when our actions are visible to others.
But what happens if we collectively lose our wisdom?
What if we turn away from ancient teachings, from the accumulated experience of humanity?
Look around.
We’re already living in that world.
A world flooded with new but mostly untested ideas and desires.
Technology.
Cities.
Communication.
Shopping habits.
Justice.
Desire itself...
All shaped by modern trends and ideologies.
We live in a post-truth age—where facts matter less than popularity.
Today, anyone can say anything, and if they gather enough support, they can be considered “right.”
We value the opinions of the most famous, the richest, the most followed.
We point our cameras at celebrities, not experts.
And in this strange, chaotic world, everyone does exactly what their “inner ape” wants.
And so, the apes live in paradise.
But for those trying to remain human, this paradise often feels like hell.
The societies that have lost touch with ancient wisdom are like that hypothetical person from our thought experiment—forced to make every decision alone.
Life is far greater and more complex than anything we can understand in a single lifetime.
If we believe that our only guides should be modern science or fashionable philosophies, we will soon find ourselves trapped in insufficiency.
Today’s world glorifies desire and pleasure.
It has created systems that legitimize and commodify our most self-destructive impulses.
This is not a flaw in the system—it's the natural result of the human mind left unchecked.
Unless we wake up soon, this reckless course will lead us to even greater suffering.
I’m certain of it.
What kind of suffering?
Paralysis in the face of too many choices...
Profound loneliness despite hyper-connectedness…
Unprecedented misinformation in an age of endless information…
Poor nutrition despite abundant food…
Products “made for humans” that end up dehumanizing us…
You don’t have to be a genius to notice these.
And yes—we’re all on the same ship.
These may not be our fault.
But they are our responsibility.
We can’t just shut our eyes and hope it all goes away.
At this rate, most of the paths we’re taking in search of “paradise” are beginning to look a lot like roads to hell.
Because if a person doesn’t understand their inner ape—
Then no matter how noble their intentions,
The paradise they create will only ever be a paradise of apes.
To me, the world today looks very much like that.
And perhaps that’s why I often find myself wondering why the Turkish words for paradise (cennet) and madness (cinnet) share the same Arabic root: “C-N-N”: Hidden. Concealed. Unseen.