Furthermore, as the primatologists reported in the December 2008 issue of Current Directions in Psychological Science, the stone-handling behavior changed with each generation as individual macaques contributed their own patterns of stone-handling, such as stone-throwing.

I have a deep faith that we are getting there, albeit slowly.

I just wonder about this "stone handling" - is it just an interest in the objects or a prelude to manipulating the form of the objects (clacking the stones together - chipping them to alter their shape)? It's already been established that apes that have learned sign language can pass it on to offspring and other troop members. The real question is whether it's them catching up to us or us catching up to them.

Abailart, speaking of animals and allegories, your comment brings to mind the rabbit and the turtle story.
It seems that we, humans, are fastest to get there, to become civilized, that is. But perhaps some other creatures will beat us to the finish line, just because we believe we are already there...