7 August 2018 - ferns and conifers

Organisms vary in character depending on when they first evolved. Ferns and conifers, for example, are paleozoic, 250 million and more years old. They trust only their own kind (bugs do not cooperate with ferns), defend themselves vigorously (bugs do not eat ferns), guard their resources and spend cautiously, react to setbacks with stubborn perseverance, and generally regard the world as barren and hostile. In short, conservatives in business suits. Flowering plants, widespread for only 120 million years, are more like startup companies. They network with everybody from pollinators to people, minimize defense spending, aggressively seek new niches, accept a high burn rate, and do everything possible to grow fast and die richer than you. Even a cactus is ready to bust out the fancy flowers on special occasions, because the world is bounteous and fruitful.

Genus Homo appeared around 2 million years ago. What is our character?