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Regarding 'the original sin.' JZ has spent his writing life researching origins and writing about his thoughts and broadcasting his opinions on such matters for years.

However, along comes Ria, over an exceedingly brief moment, posts a couple of thought essays (backed with references too) challenging some of JZ's work: perhaps controlled use of fire (cooking, human species spreading to colder climates etc) may have been the catalyst which opened the path for human domination, as well as bringing in folio and frugivore which challenges the 'man the hunter' narrative. Kathan decides to have a dig at Ria and fellow commenters at @News for being fixated on matters of original sin when there are matters to be faced here and now: not a word from Kathan of has she (Kathan) has gushed over and over regarding JZ's years of research in to origins and what a waste of time it amounts to considering that we have urgent matters facing us today!

Ria knew JZ may not acknowledge (take too kindly) to Ria poking her nose in to HIS domain, HIS niche as she politely raised her forthcoming challenge with JZ on his show a couple of weeks back.

Carry on Ria, you keep putting forward a challenging narrative which is worthy of real consideration. You reference your material. There may be jealousy from some that your work receives so much interest and comments. So please bear that in mind.

Ria could be correct in that JZ and his disciples surreptitiously want to remain in control. And to retain their control, controlled use of fire is necessary. It is necessary to kill off, warn off predators, it is necessary to live in colder climates, it is necessary to eat flesh, it is necessary to keep females fertile etc.

Indeed, this lack of acknowledging controlled use of fire could be seen as man-the-hunter devotees 'admitting' that the less the matter of controlled use of fire is mentioned, the more they may get validation for what what they seek: retaining domination?

JZ, as you read this comment thread, here is a question for you: I would like to know how could domestication have ever taken place without initially having already gained controlled of fire? There would be no point in having all this domestication food if we couldn't cook it. We wouldn't have been able to arrange land and non-humans including plants without controlled use of fire being the means.

The nature of fire may not have changed: fire is still fire; a flame is still a flame...wild and free...unless it is under the control of another...then that fire, that flame is domesticated to our will otherwise we will extinguish it..now if that isn't control I don't know what is.

And thank you Ria for raising the whole matter. Maybe, humans can never 'return' while controlled use of fire remains so central to human existence!