Dirk van Weelden

The termite is unaware, his fort is intelligent

In the savanna termite-forts stand meters high in the scorching sun. The fort has airvents, that, when the wind blows over their openings, can turn into giant panpipes. They produce a low, booming drone. The strong vibration the airvents undergo makes them function like airpumps: air goes in, air goes out, the airvents start a circulation of air, that provides ventilation and air conditioning to the termites.

The individual termite, whatever role he/she plays, is unaware of the ingenuity of this automatic ventilation system. There are no inspectors measuring the airvents to check whether they meet necessary specifications; precision matters. And still termites have been building their forts for millions of years and panpipes refresh the air inside.

It is just as beautiful as it is horrible. Pondering analogies between people and termites is instructive in the most abysmal sense of the word.

(from a Hermes Baby 1967)