In the darkest times of human history, people have looked to great minds for wisdom. The works of Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Confucius and Kant have all contributed to a sense of human collectiveness. Their ideas shape how we think about the world and fundamentally change it. 

During one of humanity’s most recent periods of struggle with the pandemic, an unlikely source has helped to ease people’s suffering and keep them moving forward: a monkey by the name of Lamont the Wise II. 

Lamont the Wise II is an adult orangutan featured on the TikTok account “Lamont_The_Wise2.” On the account’s feed, Lamont can be seen either sitting in the jungle or swinging from the trees, taking a break every so often to eat a banana while a camera man or tripod records him in his habitat. Yet, the insight comes from added text of philosophical messages on the videos — such as, “Doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will” — while the peaceful sound of the Hans Zimmer song “Oogway Ascends” from the “Kung Fu Panda” soundtrack plays in the background.

The account has amassed a steady 180,000 followers and 2.6 million likes as of March 14, producing countless videos that shed light on a variety of topics from pain and trauma to revenge and moving on. Despite orangutans originating in Southeast Asian islands such as Borneo, Lamont appears to have an incredible grasp on the English language — almost as strong as his grasp of the trees viewers see him hang on. 

Lamont’s wisdom is revered by the TikTok followers in his comment section, many relating it directly to the pandemic. To some, Lamont is an incarnation of one of the mighty philosophers of the old ages. Through the darkest of times, he has shined his light on a path towards happiness. Comments like, “You changed my perspective on life” are common under his videos. Many followers ask for specific advice on personal topics ranging from bad relationships to getting over anxiety, but Lamont tends to stick to abstract pearls of knowledge. 

Yet every so often, this wise monkey will appease one of his followers. For instance, one commenter asked for a quote to help them get through the recent death of their father, to which Lamont answered: “Be everything you loved most about the ones who are gone.”

OK, yes, the thought of an enlightened orangutan might seem far-fetched. But at this point, we are living in a world where almost anything is possible. Lamont’s words of wisdom have clearly brought real hope and peace to his followers. With the complexity of his teachings, he has undoubtedly changed a great number of people’s lives — and that surely makes him the wisest orangutan to ever live. 

Here are some of my favorite quotes from Lamont the Wise II: 

“Keep your face towards the sunshine, and the shadows will fall behind you.”

“The first step to finding peace is letting go of what you cannot control.”

“A wise man sees his regrets as a lesson.”

“Even the mightiest tree in the jungle began with a single seed.”

“A tree is known for (its) fruits, a man is known for his actions.”

“We cannot change the past, only learn from it.”