Eden and I were sitting around the other day watching a documentary on orangutans. As the badass creatures were swinging from trees, it got me thinking. A human would have to work for years to be able to do any of the crazy stuff these guys were doing. And every one of them can do it. One of the orangutans slipped and fell but caught a branch before any injury could occur, yet a human would have certainly fallen to their death.
So why do we have this superiority complex when it comes to our species. Sure, we can build and create things on a much more expansive scale than any other species, but we also destroy things on an even bigger scale. I'm just gobsmacked sometimes when I see another animal doing things that I'd love to do.
A fish can swim faster and stay underwater longer than any human.
So we build flippers and scuba tanks.
We see a bird can fly.
So we spend centuries trying and failing to fly.
There are many animals that could beat the living shit out of us in a second.
Like this guy.
Or...
AAARGH.
And especially...
We are not the strongest or fastest. We may have the ability to outsmart any animal but we seem to live a less peaceful existence than any.
It's humbling. I'm not putting down human achievement but respect must be paid since a lot of our achievements are based upon replicating what other animals can already do.
Next time I see another animal, I'm going to marvel at how much cooler it is than me.
- Lee (while thinking about my dog Hulk)
What a cool post! I was just looking at one of my dogs yesterday and thinking how amazing it is and how cool it is that I'm in the presence of this creature. A creature built to be able to smell a rat 200 meters away and then chase it down, it's so perfectly formed and wonderful to behold.
ReplyDeleteI guess humans haven't any obvious physical abilities because we're so smart (relative to the other creatures of Earth), our brains have allowed us to work around the need to anything like a super sensitive nose or huge arms to swing through trees.
I was looking at a picture of the statue of David yesterday, even the human form is just beautifully formed... look: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/63/Michelangelos_David.jpg
I love this. Cool change to the usual way we have done our blogs.
ReplyDeleteEvery time I watch a documentary on animals I am humbled and start to doubt our "God given right" to rule this earth. The struggle of life in the wild makes it so wonderfully beautiful. And the seemingly perfect balance of life cycles and ecosystems are amazing.
I also get the feeling that we are in a very primitve stage of evolution however much advanced it may appear compared to animals. It is also a risky stage because our intelligence grows yet our compassion falters.
"Sure we can build and create things on a much more expansive scale than any other creature, but we also destroy things on a much bigger scale."
What right do we have to feel superior to animals if we destroy the things that bring us life
That shark picture is so radical
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