Most poisonous is that we're trained to assume that humans are atop both the "tree" of evolution—a model called into question by research on ribosomal RNA (rRNA)— and the intelligence pyramid—which many of us would look out onto the state of the world and argue is completely uncalled for. From such pedestals derives human narcissism adequate to treat the rest of Nature like an endless goodie supplier and bottomless latrine.
Most poisonous is that we're trained to assume that humans are atop both the "tree" of evolution—a model called into question by research on ribosomal RNA (rRNA)— and the intelligence pyramid—which many of us would look out onto the state of the world and argue is completely uncalled for. From such pedestals derives human narcissism adequate to treat the rest of Nature like an endless goodie supplier and bottomless latrine.
Anyone with interest in the "revised tree" story might like David Quammen's "The Tangled Tree" https://davidquammen.com/the-tangled-tree/