Skip to main content

The human animal

The human being. I honestly don't understand the need to attach being to human. Being what? I don't get it.
Let's be honest, here. We're really the human animal. We live according to our instincts, for the most part, and we attach a sense of unearned superiority to anything we do that it's almost ridiculous.
Humans are capable of reason, but don't actually use it. What is reason? An idea there's a rational human within us, I suppose.
There might be. There's examples throughout both fiction and history. But for the most part, we're simply overgrown monkeys. Possibly our evolution happened because millions of years ago too many of our ancestors fell out of the safety of the tree direct onto their heads, and we're the result of concussed genetics.
Consider me a cynic. I don't believe people rationally choose their leaders. I hazard to guess most people look at the candidates, and usually choose who looks like the best leader, rather than to listen to anything what is said by the candidates. By best, I mean strongest. And by strongest, I mean people are generally choosing which of their primate candidates has pretty much the most turquoise bum, i.e., the most testosterone.
People choose their leaders by who beats their chest the loudest. And they're influenced by omens, too. Weather, favorite sports team, animals they see on their way to the polls. It's all rather ridiculous.
Perhaps, though, I'm just being cranky. But  cynically, I don't think I'm wrong.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The human 'superpredator' is unique -- and unsustainable, study says

Los Angeles Times I can't imagine the world in ten years time. Twenty years. It'll be different. As different as the world was even in my own childhood. As different as the world was from my parents' childhoods. My elders speak of our role on this Earth as caretakers. However, we've abandoned this role in favor of materialistic pursuits. Of finite beliefs that will quickly degrade into ash when stressed, as heated glass touching cold water. All cultures historically warn us away from over-indulgence, and yet our own modern society celebrates this behavior as exemplary. This self-interest is our fatal flaw. We take what we want, and we give nothing. This cannot last. There are limits on this Earth we cannot comprehend in full. It is simply too vast. However, what little we do know should terrify us into acting more responsibly, even if only marginally. However we do not even do that. Our leaders urge us on to continue on as we have done. This cannot last. Eventuall...
1 comment
Read more

The On-coming Canadian Housing Market Crash

 It seems inevitable now. What was propping up Canadian housing prices even through the worst of housing market crashes elsewhere were banking rules forcing Canadian banks to keep 100% coverage and investors fleeing into Canadian housing when all else was failing. The latter however now is ready to give. Canadian banks will likely be fine due to well-enforced banking rules, but the housing investors are done for. They've driven up prices so high in Vancouver and other Canadian cities that once the homes begin losing value, that'll be that. Value will sink like a stone into water and trillions of dollars will vanish overnight. Three quarters of the economy, at least. And that's probably the conservative estimate. There is exposure everywhere by a great many players of this financial game. All interconnected with a great many of these companies playing at being investment companies the same way Mom and Pop investors play at the game: without clue and context that they're ...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Earth is Alive

It is not a being in a manner we can absolutely comprehend. It's deeper mysteries are probably too much for our abnormally large monkey brains. We can make good guesses as to its nuances and behaviors, but how do we prove anything above the level of the idea we believe there to be a molten core at its heart? We believe it breathes and maintains its temperature through the trees, the air, and the ocean. We can make good guesses at all this, modeling to best of our knowledge what it all may look like, and predict its future behavior, but we don't actually know, for certain. Which may seem like a weakness to some. We're nothing more than animals, really. We follow the strong, and the strong are certain. Uncertainty seems alike to fear to some. The Earth is alive, and it is ancient. We are mere insects to it, really. Its age is unfathomable, honestly. We can only imagine a time before humans. We wish for a sense of superiority, as though we're somehow important in the gra...
1 comment
Read more