Maybe it's a function of growing older, but I find myself losing faith in humanity, as time goes on.

As a child, and as an idealistic youth (yes, I was...) I thought that humanity's progress was a continual path upwards; that people would continue to improve, to innovate, to learn to live together.

Now I see nothing but backsliding. I look at people and see little but primate instincts; self-rewarding, aggressive, me-first, monkey-behavior. I see worship of spirits and belief (74 percent of Americans...) in Satan. I see a downspiral of values and respect for others.

Where's the striving to be better? Where's hope and charity?

Bah! Damn monkeys...