The Human Race

One thing that stands out as a highlight of my newfound wisdom and understanding of the world that we live in is the fact that humans are animals. Animal not fitting the mould of the definition 'A person who behaves in a bestial or brutish manner' but rather 'An animal organism other than a human, especially a mammal.' which to me is a definition with tremendous oversight, for we are mammals, and definitely animals. From the way we masticate, which is strikingly similar that of an animal (and logically so) to the way almost every action in society is made to gain ascendancy over others, much like how leaders are produced within pack animals. I find it somewhat amazing that the majority of us is not aware of this (that every action is an exertion for supremacy). However this trait is nothing more than an instinct for power which has followed us through our evolution from when we were no better than the animals we cage for entertainment today. The fact that we do not realise this only strengthens the conviction that we are not all-knowledgable and in fact never will be.

Our ability to think does not make us any less an animal than any other animal on this Earth. Once you have firmly imposed that idea into your thinking, it is much easier to see humans for what they really are: selfish psychological egotists. To believe that people actually act truly altruistically is in my view, very ignorant in regard to the workings of mankind. Everything anyone does, is done in benefit for themselves and themselves only. Good deeds merely cushion the concealment of inevitable self realisation that essentially we are and have evolved (not designed) into evil creatures. Evil that is largely inflated and caused by greed. To say that you are not a greedy person is incognizant - as thinking beings, logic is prominent in our thought processes. Greed is inescapable for we think 'If I give this person some of my limited amounts of resources I will have less for myself and not gain the benefit of the resources I have given away. Nor do I gain any benefit from this person using my resources so why should I give them any.' Those that are not so 'greedy' in terms of the definition of the word, only find that the 'goodness' (which also does not live up to its definition) they feel from making another somewhat happy more rewarding. This is not any less greedy, rather more greedy, because in sharing you are attempting to potentially increase the positive sentiments you can attain from your resources.

The ability to think, although may seem a necessary commodity is quite the opposite. The truth is, if we did not have the intellectual capabilities we do, we will be infinitely happier and better off. Depression for instance, is simply the sufferer coming to the realisation that the world is a harrowing place, but not realising that they realise this. Depression must not be treated by drugs, but rather philosophy, because only through a better understanding of ones self and the world is it possible to achieve happiness that is not superficial. The fact that we can even think, allows us to question our existence and even consider that we exist for a reason and are better than all animals. Nix. We don't exist for a reason, not everything has a cause and we are in fact a very asinine and primitive creature. We may not seem primitive because of the world we have created over thousands of years, but take that away, take away technology, take away our gathered knowledge and we have nothing. We become what I stated earlier as a definition of animal 'A person who behaves in a bestial or brutish manner'. Because that is what we are behind the structured confines of the assemblage of human 'intelligence'.

Besides greed, another distressing downfall of the human race's ability to think is that people who are less intelligent compared to many actually can think. Idiocy is a cause of evil. Without a rational understanding of the world as it really is, those who are deprived of intelligence see evil acts as not morally wrong, and those who have surpassed those who do not see the moral issues, are much too greedy to see the implications of their greed.

I do not believe my self to be a pessimist, but instead, a realist. You may be able to contradict my arguments and even dismiss them, but that is not a fault of my arguments, rather an emphasis on the idea I put forth that humans are not as intelligent as we think we are and that for us to be thinking beings was not intended. Language, although undoubtedly useful and sometimes beautiful epitomises the human condition. That idea that we are flawed, and the fact that language cannot even come close to expressing the ideas that we think, suggests we do not have the capabilities to extend language to accurately depict thoughts or even the intelligence to comprehend our own thoughts. It all comes back to the realisation that we all must make – we are animals and nothing more.


Your views?

Some points I would disagree about but in truth they would be minor to the bulk of your analysis of the human animal (being). So yes, overall I tend to agree.
A true alturistic act is non existent pretense, we robe our self seeking with it to justify our acts as loving & caring for others.
But part of the nature of our beast is seeking that which we profess (pretend) to be at our best.

" From the way we masticate, which is strikingly similar that of an animal (and logically so)"
Well sure, we chew like cows.

"I find it somewhat amazing that the majority of us is not aware of this (that every action is an exertion for supremacy)."
Nonesense! I find this statement apalling. Man is unique in that the behaviours of man, their motifs and consequences are so incredibly varied. Man is a cultured animal. That means he has the drives of animals (sex, food, sleep for example) but is also programmed by his family and society. Because of the cultural factor and the fact humans have a very independant and inquisitive mind (relative to a dog for example), means that there is a HUGE diversity of human action.

To lump all the actions as an 'exertion for supremacy' is fairly ignorant of human nature. Try telling a tibetan monk that his prayers are merely his will to dominate, or perhaps tell a nun her vow of chastity is meant to attain supremacy.

Religion is perhaps the ultimate example of culture overriding base instinct.

"selfish psychological egotists"
Humans do what they do. So much of what humans do is mechanical (without thought) that it is by definition without motivation. Those mechanical are therefore amoral (as opposed to immoral).

When humans do think (and we can therefore ascribe motif and moral) there are both extremes of evil and good.

"Depression must not be treated by drugs, but rather philosophy, because only through a better understanding of ones self and the world is it possible to achieve happiness that is not superficial."
The only happiness is mechanical. A realistic view of the universe will only make you realise :
- the futility of all human action
- the complete lack of a point to human existence
- the total ignorance of all

Happiness existed before philosophy. Happiness is to be found in simple things, as things were for our plain-roaming ancestors, simple. Thought is the road to conscious contradiction and unhappiness.

"We may not seem primitive because of the world we have created over thousands of years, but take that away, take away technology, take away our gathered knowledge and we have nothing."
Knowledge doesn't make itself. I believe a medieval philosopher noted that man is made for infinity. A bee (barring evolution) will always make hexagones generation after generation. A man will learn to make a square pot, his son a round one, his grandson a metal one etc... Our gathered knowledge is exactly what makes man so special. Through time and culture, man has changed from the 'beast' you seem to loathe.

"rather an emphasis on the idea I put forth that humans are not as intelligent as we think we are and that for us to be thinking beings was not intended."
Humans are almost by definition incompetent and ignorant. But remember, each generation learns. You've also noted man's moral bankruptcy, which is unrelated to intelligence anyway.

Mechanically we are animals. Man is different because of culture. Each generation acts in a radically different way from the previous one, lets look at history (european) :
- 16th century, people wage war in catholicism VS protestanstism, today, a christian is a christian, war over the matter is unthinkable
- 19th century, imperialism is natural and good, today, unthinkable!
- 1930s-1990, war is fought fascism/democracy/communism, today, anything but democracy (in western civilization) is unthinkable.

My point is, of course humans act mechanically. Of course we're basically animals. The difference is that we are machines incredibly influenced by our culture, what one human considers natural or normal, over a few generations can be considered an abomination (imperialism or fascism).

Thus my definition of man : a cultured animal (I include technology in culture, in effect, all that is passed on in a generation, both knowledge and unconscous programming).

Man is an evil animal, no doubt about it.
In the matrix, we find out that the machines are farming us and we try to stop then and destroy them because we do not want to be farmed, isnt that what pigs sheep etc. feel ? That they do not want to be farmed but they do not have the power to stop us.
Humanity is evil

Consider what you said and its opposite, and then take both assumptions with lightheartedness, then unlearn both ideas so they are not fixed attitudes, I mean animal human mammal all just names for things we can hardly describe with any certainty, the mind is limited in its grasp of reality, not every action is an act of supremacy its just an alive action, are you always thinking of power and supremacy when you do a spontaneous action? The human condition is always changing, language and all our best efforts may not be able to hit the nail on the head when it gets down to emotions or feelings, but your not meant to just try and work out the meaning of everything you need to let your spirit fly, play music be active think of others not just objective realism, not all the time any way, to much realism whats the opposite antidote, to much dreaming and non realism whats the antedote, when philosophers say that every action is an act of supremacy they are trying to capture the essence of the power of life and its goal in a sentence, its only philosophy and science, if you enjoy soccer or music or whatever you dont need to have a religion or philosophy or science to take its place, it just tries to explain how etc. or express the experience in philosophy or poems etc. it isnt why we live, its more about the selfish cruel nature of the essence of life, not people with moral values and the organized world we create, life as an animal in the serengeti is harsh and cruel, eat or be eaten, but we try and create an order beyond that, and we also have limited choice even though we would prefer to have mastery over things that cause grief, or seem so called evil.