+208 It's strange that a lot of humans see themselves as separate from other animals in the animal kingdom in two distinct groups: human and non human animals. There's really nothing special about people other than their intelligence, in the same way there's nothing special about a cheetah other than running at 70 mph and keen hunting instincts. There's no reason for humans to think of themselves as special or seperate ... amirite?

by Anonymous 12 years ago

I didn't mean for the ellipses to be there. It's supposed to say "There's no reason for humans to think of themselves as special or separate or better than the rest"

by Anonymous 12 years ago

But we ARE better than other animals. I mean, we're at the top of the food chain. That's kind of a list of 'who's better than who'.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

We're better AT being intelligent, we're not better BECAUSE we're intelligent. Are the Stephen Hawkings, Sheldon Coopers, and Albert Einsteins of the world BETTER than you just because they're smarter? NO. They're better at being smart, they're not better than you.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

I don't know where you got this whole intelligence thing, I didn't mention it. And yes, we're better at being intelligent. That's also partly what makes us better than other creatures. Though 'better' is a really subjective word. Better meaning more productive and successful as a species? Better in the eyes of God? Too cloudy...

by Anonymous 11 years ago

Do you see where you are contradicting yourself with your mixed ideas of the concept of "better"? Better IS subjective. Superiority is a matter of objective. It seems to me that you should be able to safely agree with this post

by Anonymous 11 years ago

I like the fact that we are the top of the food chain that doesn't apply anymore since we have guns or factory farms... Also we are not top of the food chain bears eat humans sometimes so they kind of are top of the food chain until we bring out our guns and kill them

by Anonymous 12 years ago

We're the top in regards of what eats what. We'll eat almost anything. But revert us back to primal state and anything with claws and venom will beat us a majority of the time. Our intelligence helped us build protection (weapons, houses etc.) But in a natural state of using only what we have physically, we're the food.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

I don't think the wording is fair. Humans are separate but whether not we're better is up for debate.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

We're on the top of the food chain because of our intelligence. So yeah, if you take away the very thing that makes an animal successful like a tiger's teeth they're not going to be on top anymore.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

@Izzie, So the only thing applicable to being top of the food chain is brute force? We can't use our intelligence as well?

by Anonymous 12 years ago

No no you still got the end part wrong: "There's no reason for humans to think of themselves as special or separate or better than --the-- --rest-- CATS"

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Favvkes, you're still funny when you use jokes that aren't about cats. Try and return to that.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Lol guys I don't think you get the joke, see, cats are Favvkes' thing, and she changed the wordin of the post in her comment to relate to cats. I got you back, Favvkes.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Humans are top of the food chain. We'd eat everything that we can. Sometimes we get eaten, but that's only when people put themselves in stupid situations.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Rats are technically more intelligent than a loy if the birds that eat them. They are still lower on the food chain. Intelligence makes humans distinct just like speed makes cheetahs distinct and memory makes elephants distinct. That is all.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Opposable thumbs, bitches!

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Disposable thumbs!

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Because no other animals have opposable thumbs?

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Yeah, most, but not all, so why should our thumbs make us superior to every other animal?

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Well, we've messed up the earth much more than any animal. Does that count?

by Anonymous 12 years ago

I'd say the fact that we have the ability to screw with the planet in the first place is what counts.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

It counts. What sets humans apart from other animals is that animals adapt themselves to live on Earth, and humans adapt Earth to accommodate themselves.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

I remember reading the post and argument you had that spawned this post. Just so you are all aware. Also, Several men are in the locker room of a golf club. A cell phone on a bench rings and a man engages the hands-free speaker-function and begins to talk. Everyone else in the room stops to listen. Man: "Hello?" Woman: "Honey, it's me. Are you at the club?" Man: "Yes." Woman: "I'm at the mall now and found this beautiful leather coat. It's only two thousand pounds. Is it okay if I buy it?" Man: "Sure, go ahead if you like it that much." Woman: "I also stopped by the Mercedes dealership and saw the new 2012 models. I saw one I really liked." Man: "How much?" Woman: "I think its 68,000 pounds." Man: "Okay, but for that price I want it with all the options." Woman: "Great! Oh, and one more thing... The house we wanted last year is back on the market. The asking-price is 1.25 million." Man: "Well, then go ahead and give them an offer, but just offer 1 mil." Woman: "Okay, honey, you're the best! I love you!"vMan: "Bye, I love you, too."vThe man hangs up. The other men in the locker room are staring at him. He starts to smile and asks: "Does anyone know whose phone this is?" That Is All

by Anonymous 12 years ago

How is the story related, and wouldn't she know her husband's voice?

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Damn. I read that story thinking it was an example used to highlight some of humanity's accomplishments like technological prowess and our creation of a complex system of exchange that has the ability to group different items under a common standard for assigning value, but it turned out to be a joke. Very clever though.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

I guess you could say that. I could be missing something here. It seemed more like a teaching anecdote than a joke to me. Then again, I tend to view things more seriously.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

It was made and brought to you in the interest of personal interpretation. Do with it what you like

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Intelligence is kind of a big deal though.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

So is running 70 mph or being able to change the color of your skin.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

I go out in the sun and my skin color changes hehe

by Anonymous 12 years ago

You just change the darkness of it >.> lol

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Give me a bucket of paint, and I'll change my skin color. Giw mw a car and I'll travel 70 mph.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

*Give me Curse this iPod

by Anonymous 12 years ago

That would take some time to do and it would have to be given to you and it probably wouldn't serve you for survival. Some octopus can change the color and texture of its skin in an instant, not to mention they squirt ink. A teeny little mosquito could get you incredibly sick. You against a snake or a black widow? That's a small target, they're fast, and they will probably win. My point is, intelligence doesn't put you on top. You'd have to have the materials, the specialized knowledge, and the ability to use whatever it is you're using to defend yourself. Most humans don't have most of those things. And even when they do have all those things, it's not certain they're going to take the right approach and there's a pretty good chance the human doesn't come out on top. Someone had to be the smartest out of them all. Just like someone had to come out the strongest, the fastest, have the longest lifespan. None of those things set an animal apart from the rest, imo. The only thing we're better at is being smart, which kinda hinder us a bit. Think of it as human to human. Is a trained guns man better than you because they can use it to defend/kill better than you? Are the Sheldon Coo...

by Anonymous 12 years ago

pers of the world better because they're like twice as smart as everyone else? Being smarter doesn't make us better, especially considering most us don't know how to use most of the technology and the tools that would save us. Why is it every time I have to leave two comments I barley have anything left to say :|

by Anonymous 12 years ago

I care more for human life more than other animal life. It's not because I think humans are better, it's because I am a human so these are my brothers, and I will look out for my family first.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

I would too.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

While I agree with you, Wescat, I had a philosophy professor who claimed that same logic could be used for racism and sexism. "I am white, and these white people are my brothers, so I will look out for my race first. I am a man, and these men are my brothers, so I will look out for my sex first." I draw the line at species, but I thought it was an interesting argument.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

We're the only creatures who have the capacity for long term thoughts, planning, and goals which I'd say sets us apart a lot

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Cough cough elephants- Long term thoughts All other animals: Planning (for hibernation) goals (migration) And there are a lot more examples

by Anonymous 12 years ago

We have hundreds of written languages that can effectively communicate abstract ideas.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

That's not conscious planning, that's instinct

by Anonymous 12 years ago

They plan a nest they plan things exactly instincts we have to plan when to eat what to eat where to eat with who. I am jealous of those animals because of instinct there life is so relaxed compared to humans. I find them smarter actually just for that Also cats can communicate with each other with the wag of a tail. Our abstact ideas make our lives complicated. Bees dance to show where flowers are. They are smarter by figuring out how to communicate without talking and without communicating

by Anonymous 12 years ago

People who say it's just because we're smarter that the post is wrong - the OP already dealt with that. The fact is, someone has to be the smartest, it doesn't actually set you apart in the way most humans thingk. Someone has to be the smartest. The OP is saying, clever animals we might be, but we're STILL animals, and must consider ourselves part of the animal kingdom.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Exactly TommyUK.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Our intelligence has allowed us to create a way of life even so those not fit to survive live long enough to reproduce, meaning the laws of natural selection don't apply to us in the same way it does to other animals. Also the evolutionary definition of fit is quite different from its definition for the rest of the animal kingdom. We have also successfully and significantly increased the life expectancy of our species.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Yeah, but that's incredibly stupid. That's stupid on a level I don't even want to imagine. Whereas other species are improving, we are making ourselves worse.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

My argument isn't whether or not we're "better" than other animals, it's that we're different. And unless you want to provide some sort of argument, don't bash my comment like you're authoritative source on all things intelligent.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

I know, but in an argument about intelligence, eliminating natural selection isn't a good point. Really? Pointing out something blatantly obvious and using basic logic is suddenly comparable to masquerading as a source on all things intelligent? Let's try this: almost everything is based around genes. Natural selection works by killing off inferior genes, allowing the smarter, stronger, and overall superior genes to keep breeding. As such, species under the effect of natural selection will continue to get better as superior genes keep breeding to create even better genes. Since we've eliminated natural selection and keep everyone alive, we're not getting rid of our inferior genes. Our inferior genes start to negatively impact the superior genes. Ergo, we've effectively locked ourselves in place. We won't get better. Eventually, genes will only be able to decline. We have essentially put ourselves in a position from which we can only go down. As time goes by, human beings will only become slower, weaker, and less intelligent. That enough of an argument for you?

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Ok. Maybe we're not actually as smart as we think. But it still stands that we're the only species on the planet that has actually exercised control and changed the factors that determine their survival. Which is a major difference that separates us from other species.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

There's lots of animals that change the factors that determine their survival...

by Anonymous 12 years ago

anaverageboss - many specied can lay claim to a "i'm the only one who can" ability. Ours are impressive, sure, but it just means we're at the top of the animal kingdom. Think of it this way. The President is the top person in a society right? (S)he's in charge, has power and influence. And you hope that (s)he also has above-average intelligence. But he/she is still within a certain framework, and is not divine or significant in ways he/she might like to think. Humans may be the top speies in the animal kingdom, but that doesn't give us any kind of divinity or true significance in the grand scheme of things. We just like to think it does. Becuase we're human

by Anonymous 12 years ago

WE WENT TO THE MOON FOR CRYING OUT LOUD

by Anonymous 12 years ago

So did monkeys.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

We sent them...and they didn't land

by Anonymous 12 years ago

wow, we risked life and limb and spent millions to send a message to the USSR - yeah that's super awesome!

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Annnnnndd meanwhile in Africa....

by Anonymous 12 years ago

TommyUK just just give up. Seriously. Let there be space for intelligent comments. (As I post an unrelated comment.......)

by Anonymous 12 years ago

I've made several comments on other threads if you'd care to read them. We are the smartest creatures, but from there jumping to some kind of divine significance is a huge leap of logic. We remain ever part of the animal kingdom. Someone has to be at the top of it, but we're still IN IT

by Anonymous 12 years ago

We are better. A cheetah can go 70 miles. We developed things to go 120. We can be in the air. We went to the moon. We have so many languages. We don't even really need natural foods anymore because we made other foods. It's not healthy obviously but we still did it. We can fend off animals using things other than our own bodies. Bananas wouldn't still be around if humans didn't exist (they really wouldn't. Even look it up.) I feel like because we made it so far, we're Better.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Yes but pit a human being against any animal with claws, fangs, or venom. Each can only use what it has physically. We as a species have intelligence to develop quickly because we are defenseless. Even now, we still have no natural defenses (excluding immune system) other than outside objects. We've conquered by using whats around us, but if we have to survive on our own, humanity would have been devoured a long time ago. Yes we're better because of what we've invented, but human beings alone are still just as weak and hopeless if you take away what isn't apart of our bodies.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

That's the thing. They're not gonna take away what we invented. We have defenses even if they're not a part of us

by Anonymous 12 years ago

But I think that's the point of the post. We have intelligence but that's it. It's saying on the basis of what we are as a species, we aren't that great. Our intelligence won't protect us from anything unless we have what we need. Our survival is predicated by our luck of finding something we can use. We aren't guaranteed to have what we need, it's chance. A long time ago when human beings lived in the wild, they could fight. They still used primitive weapons, but they were born and raised to fight and survive. Our intelligence has made it easier for us to survive so long as we have the product of our intelligence, but we don't have our sense of combat anymore on a primal level. Our intelligence has in a sense made us weaker fighters. Maybe no one will take away our defenses that we've created, but we aren't guaranteed to have them in the first place. Not everyone has a gun, or a knife, or a club. But every cheetah can run fast, all lions and tigers can rip things apart. All hippos are death machines. But not all humans are smart, and not all of us have functional weapons on hand at all times.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

If you wanna talk strictly physical abilities, humans are easily the best distance runners on the planet.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

"not all humans are smart" Well yeah, but all humans are smarter than all other animals. ----- "A cheetah can go 70 miles. We developed things to go 120" Perfectly explained. ----- "If you wanna talk strictly physical abilities, humans are easily the best distance runners on the planet." Yeah I don't know why so many people are unaware of this.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

That true, although, the average person isn't going to out last a horse that can run for about 2 hours. We have to train for endurance to be at the peak of what we can achieve. Most animals that run long distances do it their whole lives starting very soon after birth, where as we've spent a lot of our time perfecting ways to not need to run and it's made it harder for us. We could always get to that top point, but it's something we have to earn.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Is that really true? Can you cite evidence for that? It sounds a bit off to me

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Them or me? Cause I didn't say anything to outlandish.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

oh, i meant the thing about humans being the best distance runners of any animal

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Sure. 1. Bipedalism. When any animal with four legs gallops, when it's two sets of legs are brought together, its internal organs press up against its lungs forcing air out, and when its sets of legs are apart, its organs move back allowing the lungs to expand in take in air. This means they can only take one breath per stride. One breath per stride isn't enough to sustain them over long distances so they must slow down to catch their breath. This effect isn't seen in humans because we run with two legs so our strides don't regulate our breathing. 2. "Climate control." Animals regulate their internal temperature by panting, and as mentioned earlier, they can only pant when slowed down. Humans regulate by sweating, so we can maintain speeds. Our relative hairlessness compared to other animals also contributes to temp regulation. 3. Long legs with springy tendons. When running properly, you utilize energy stored in the tendons from the step to allow you to push off without activating any muscles. This video helps explain elasticity. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSIDRHUWlVo

by Anonymous 12 years ago

4. Finally evidence from the present day. Ultra marathoners. This story always blows people's minds. This chick named Ann Trason from California started running to relieve stress from teaching at a college or something. She woke up one morning and ran 20 miles. She ate breakfast, was feeling pretty good, so she ran another 15. She got some work around the house done that afternoon so to reward herself, she ran another 20. That's 55 miles in one day and I don't think she was a competing ultra marathoner at the time. This is what I recalled off the top of my head from a book called Born To Run by Christopher McDougal. I'd definitely recommend it, especially to runners.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

I wish I could watch that video while I was running...

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Awesome! I wasn't aware of any of that. Still though, doesn't change my mind about the post. Long distance runners may be human's advantage, but we can't outrun most animals at a sprint. There's your balance. Mind you we could always shoot the bastard before they got near us. hahahahaha.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

We don't need to out sprint animals because we can just outdistance them. That's how humans originally survived: persistence hunting, or basically chasing after prey until it dies from exhaustion. @ScottyD No duh we can't outrun a horse now. It's cause we don't need to in order to survive. But if you were to go back to when humans needed to be able to outrun other animals, like an antelope, in order to survive, they could.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

What I mean though, is if you were in the open, you couldn't outrun a cheetah, lion or whatever, it would be able to go far enough to kill you. Point is, being able to run really far isn't the be-all and end-all for superiority. It's just ONE aspect. Each aspect has their pluses and minuses

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Crocodiles. Made it "farther" than us in time. We travel farther distances in our shorter time on earth.. That's one thing that makes us special. But something else that makes us special actually makes us a bit of a joke in the animal kingdom, which is, for all our intelligence, we are the only species that can't maintain homeostasis (some people may, but the ones who are seemingly incapable of that refuse to die and continue to be an ignorant implement in the slow degeneration of our planet and our species) The people that use us as a massive living mechanism might know something about human life and it's evolutionary advantages that we do not, but who is to say the way they are utilizing it makes them a better species. Your average human cannot survive without what's provide for them and taught painstakingly to them. The more intelligent people might be better off without all the idiots in their way, but they can manage. They are most likely smart enough to try and maintain a balance and an equal perspective (bigger picture) so as not to be the brightest star that burn out quickly.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

We aren't better. Our intelligence is our downfall. It's only allowed us to kill each other more effectively, fuck each other over in more ways, and wreck everything. We're smart, but obviously not smart enough. Our technology is at a God-like level, but we're still just animals at heart. And if intelligence was really the deciding factor, then why isn't humanity split up? Why wouldn't it be acceptable for scientists to treat idiots like we treat animals? Hell, people generally think the more athletic people are better than the more intelligent people. We aren't nearly as great as we think we are.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

But that's the thing. OP isn't saying we aren't better. (S)he is saying we aren't special or different. I'd say oneof the bigger differences is that we have the ability to control our instincts, even if it may not be for the better, because of our brains. Our developed intelligence has given us the ability to create. That's why we're at the top of the food chain. We can kill anything in this world and our brains are constantly working to develop MORE things than we already have. And who says it's all bad? Sure, we've created things that kill and are awful, but we've also developed some amazing things like communication devices, multiple languages, stable structures to house humans. It isn't all bad. And it's constantly growing. We are constantly developing more. Our intelligence allows and encourages that. Also, I have to disagree with you that people find athletes better than intelligent people. Intelligent people are definitely admired and they are the ones that advance our technology and communities. I'm just saying that humans are different. You may not think they're better than others, but there is definitely something that separates us from animals.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

@Mike_Hawk: I don't understand how you can think that we aren't better. We clearly are. Yes, sometimes technology is used in a harmful way, but that doesn't discredit all the good it does. It hasn't, "only allowed us to kill each other more effectively," It's allowed human life to evolve and continuously get better. If we were truly were just animals at heart then why do were take care of our old, disabled, and special needs. We care, we show empathy, and we use our time and resources to take care of our own. No other species does that. No other species ever will. That's why we're different, and it is definitely in a good way. We are as great as we think we are.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

It doesn't help us evolve, it stops us from it because instead of getting rid of bad genes, we allow them to live and spread. "We care, we show empathy, and we use our time and resources to take care of our own. No other species does that" That is %100 wrong. There are a plethora of species that show empathy, use their time and resources and take care of each other. Pretty much all social and slightly intelligent animals do. Apes and elephants, for example.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Pack animals DO take care of their sick and elderly, and they often don't take care of their special needs, because they don't have special needs. We're the only species allowing our special needs to survive, so we have all these defective genes running around. Society has turned life in to a competition for us. Laws are dictated almost solely by personal gain, banks and businesses are always looking for ways to fuck us out of our money. Other animals aren't capable of hate, at least not to our capacity. We're the only species on Earth that can and would carry out mass murder of another group for no reason. You don't see animals turning around and attempting to murder their entire pack. Humans are far too divided and far too stupid to be as great as we think we are. We also have a knack for taking credit where it's not due. It's the fucking scientists that got we were we are. 99% of humanity is just useless and doesn't really contribute anything to anything. They're also the ones who have the mentality of a solitary animal and end up robbing and murdering each other. We suck, that's that.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Lol, " 99% of humanity is just useless and doesn't really contribute anything to anything." You're a moron.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Care to explain? I'm pretty sure you don't have a valid argument.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

The fact that you refer to special needs children as "defective genes" makes me sick. If it was up to you, we would never have people like Beethoven, Van Gogh, Stephen Hawking, or Hellen Keller. As for making life a competition, I think you're wrong. I don't know what laws you're talking about, but the vast majority are designed for the public safety and well being. They're designed to keep the market place fair; to watch out for the banks and businesses you mentioned. I agree with you that we're capable of more hatred than animals, but that's because we're more advanced. Our intelligence gives us the ability to hate with more passion, but it also gives us the ability to love on a deeper level than animals. It's a blessing and a curse, but you can't deny that we are and always will be superior to animals in every way. And no, we are not to stupid to be that great. We've transformed society from cave dwelling simpletons to a society that splits atoms and is currently exploring Mars. And if you're trying to suggest that scientists are the only useful people in society, then you're stupid.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Be sick all the fuck you want. Most "special needs" conditions are a result of genetic defects, ergo, they are defective genes. How superior can you be if you get offended by the truth? Correct me if I'm wrong, but Beethoven and Van Gogh didn't have defects that would have kept them from surviving. Stephen Hawking was fine for a portion of his life. Hell, his condition may have been cured if we didn't have so many things holding back our progress, like religion. That's total fucking bullshit, and I am done arguing with you after this comment. Laws designed for our safety? No, they were put in place so the fucking sheeple would be easier to control and to keep money in the pockets of the bankers and politicians. You have no idea what you're talking about. Loving deeper is nothing but a tactic utilized by evolution to get us to mate, so that doesn't mean shit. Our society is still full of simpletons. The average person is far dumber than you realize. Our society is not splitting atoms; scientists are. Our society is not exploring Mars; NASA is. Most people probably couldn't even care less about that kind of thing. People are a problem. Animals don't have problems like we do.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

We can create, that's what makes us different to animals. When an animal dies, it dies, and in most cases there'll be nothing to show it ever existed in a year's time. When a human dies, they can leave something - a book, a piece of architecture, a painting. Maybe it's not always a good thing, because we create so many things that can cause harm, but it's a clear difference

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Other animals, namely insects, create also. Ants leave hundreds of tunnels and rooms though which they can traverse; bees make elaborate hives filled with honey and larvae; spiders spin beautiful webs of silk. These continue to thrive even after they die. So how does creation seperate humans from something miniscule in size like bugs?

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Our intelligence does put us on a whole new level. Not only that, but we are one of the very few species that is self-aware. We are able to consider ourselves separate because our intelligence is leaps and bounds more advanced than any other species.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Fireflies glow Jellyfish sting and so do bees Some dogs can smell drugs and stuff Chameleons can camouflage Caterpillars can turn into butterflies Octopi can do this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DT97tS_XeaU Owls can see in the dark Pufferfish can blow their bodies up Sharks, bears, lions and the like can devour us (assuming without guns and all) the list goes on....

by Anonymous 12 years ago

We can communicate through words We can hit someone with 100 times more electricity than a jellyfish We can use camouflage to blend in We can design our offspring We can use tools to see in the dark far more effectively than owls Taking away our tools is the equivalent of taking away a bears claws and teeth

by Anonymous 12 years ago

No one is going to take away your tools, it's just very unlikely most people will have them and know how to operate them in the first place, rendering them useless.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Say that to these cool muthafuckas on the sides of my hands that let me use things

by Anonymous 12 years ago

All primates have those, you're not special.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

No shit, but while gorillas were picking their noses, we learned how to make tools and jack off using ours, you really don't have shit until I can replace the illegal aliens that do my yard work with orangutans and lemurs

by Anonymous 12 years ago

If you trained them they probably could. And they use their hands as tools, and they also masturbate.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Who trained us? Yeah you can talk when gorillas start building us houses

by Anonymous 12 years ago

I you weren't taught how to build a house, you couldn't do it.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Who taught humans how to build houses, who potty trained humans?

by Anonymous 12 years ago

We are the dominant species on the planet. There isn't a single species in the world that we don't have the capability of killing. Sure, we may not be able to kill them with our bare hands, but the point is we can kill them all.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Does having the ability to be able to kill them because we're smarter mean we're better? Better is subjective.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

I think it does.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

In the wild, killing things easily tends to be a pretty big advantage

by Anonymous 12 years ago

In the wild, humans wouldn't have the technology to kill everything else.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

... But we have technology,

by Anonymous 12 years ago

I imagine that, if they're capable of such thoughts, most species of animals think of themselves as separate from other animals.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Higher intelligence and cognitive ability, as well as language, which is also the mechanism for self-awareness; that's definitely one way humans are considerably different than other animals. But at the same time, I kind of agree with you. I also feel inclined to believe language creates an illusion that tricks people into thinking humans are different entities entirely, which is why people think we're all so separate. lawl idk which way to vote Edit: So basically.. the thing that gives me a reason to disagree gives me a reason to agree at the same time.. I feel I'm not thinking correctly.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

But we're the dominant species, aren't we? No other species has made progress the way humans have. None of the other species have carried out extensive research in order to make the world a better place (or for any other purpose for that matter) or passed down extensive knowledge from generation to generation, this shared knowledge adapting to new discoveries. We may not necessarily be smarter/better than every other species out there, but we definitely run this planet. Therefore, it's only natural that we can sometimes lose sight of the fact that we're animals too.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Sharks are dominate over dolphins, that doesn't make the dolphin a lesser being.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

I'm pretty sure dolphins have been known to fight sharks off. And I'm also pretty sure your comment has nothing to do with my comment.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

Yes, we are special...but so is every other species on Earth. Hence the similarity between the words "special" and "species". There's a funny kind of self-importance going on in these comments. "But humans are more special because we're smart/talk/walk..." But we only care about those attributes because it's important to human life. A bumblebee would consider all of those things a complete waste of time and energy. We're no more special than the trees that can live a thousand years or the whales that grow to 100ft or the bacterium that can live in 200 degree water or the corn species that is now perhaps the most successful species on Earth because humans chose it as a necessary food.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Oh man, that's a great point. I wasn't even thinking of it like that.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

That's true. But that actually goes back to my comment, right above Wobbuffet's, here. And I'm still confused about it too lol

by Anonymous 12 years ago

For one, this post is stupid and so is that comment. To op: We separate ourselves, just like any other animal separates him/herself. You don't see wolves having sex with gorillas? Or maybe I'm crazy. You see cheetahs hunting gazelles or whatever, that's separating. Not only that, BUT lions fight other lions. Humans fight other humans. Not only do we separate ourselves from other animals, but also from each other, just like other animals do... so I don't know what you're trying to get at there. To Wo: Yes, all those things do make them special, but we can replicate most of the stuff what happens naturally, with technology. If bees knew how to make their job easier they would. Bees think our stuff is a waste of time and energy, because it's for US and not them.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

We may be more intelligent but that doesn't mean we're better. We pretty much threaten our own existence due to that intelligence, so I'd love to hear how that makes us superior as a species.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

The biggest reason that we think humans are special is because we're made that way. It gives us the drive to continue as a species.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Oh, there are lots of things that make humans different from animals! We have opossable thumbs! Oh wait, so do primates... Well, we use tools! Oh, wait, so do some species of birds... Well, we mourn our dead! Er, no, elephants do that too... Oh, I know! We can construct complex, multi-leveled buildings! Just like ants... Oh, I know it! We're on the top of the food chain! There is no creature in existence that hunts humans as it's primary source of food! ... That we know of yet, at least...

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Oh, wait... We do all these things at once.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Humans are above animals.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Thank you for your insightful and knowledgeable comment. It really added something to the conversation.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Someone's got an attitude =/

by Anonymous 12 years ago

No, your comment was just un needed and stupid. A simple no way could have done, and you popped your head in this huge mass debate to say "humans are above animals."

by Anonymous 11 years ago

I was going to make a series of legitimate points to disprove this post but they have already been made and for the most part, downvoted. This post and follow up comments really have made me lose faith in the human race. The fact that we are all in different parts of the world discussing this issue disproves the OP.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Some animals communicate too. And being able to communicate to people in other parts of the world doesn't make people special or different from other animals in the "us and them way". All animals have the strengths that other animals can't do, pointing out a human strength doesn't disprove anything.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Please name a few strengths animals have humans don't

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Naturally changing the color of their skin for protection, long teeth, enormous strength, flight, glowing, ability to live in the water and on land, venomous fangs, climbing huge trees, the list goes on and on. All animals have a strength, intelligence isn't the best one because you can only use intelligence as a strength when you've got the supplies to put it to good use. You might be smarter, you might have a gun, but people aren't the only ones who use weapons, have cognitive thinking, communicate with each other, we're not separate from the rest of the amial kingdom, hence why we're in it instead of having a different kingdom all to ourselves. I can't even believe you really asked what strength animals have that humans don't, there are plenty. Yes, we have the technology to kill and survive effectively, the human race does, not every human alive. Taking one thing that is a massive benefit to us that only some people have access to doesn't make all people better.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

In response to the three above comments: Colebowl; you're a dumbass kindly stfu and leave this debate to your more intelligent peers. Mr.Walrus; animals have plenty of strengths that humans lack, regrowth of lost limbs/teeth for one. and finally... Anonymous: Consider natural traits and abilities as one would consider the stock market. All the worlds species have invested equally in 5 different areas; speed, sight, disguise, immunity/health, and intelligence. Cheetahs can run short distances at 70mph, the fastest humans can hit around 23, lizards 4. Human speed goes from $1.00 a share to 60¢. Some birds have vision that is 6-8 times sharper than humans, conversely dogs have much worse vision. Human sight goes from $1.00 to 75¢. disguise chameleons can change their skin color to match their surroundings, people can't, neither can most other animals. Disguise shares fall from $1.00 to 90¢ Immunity/health: some lizards can regenerate lost arms, and sharks lost teeth, humans can live without an arm though it never grows back but most animals can't. $1.00 falls to 80¢. Human intelligence however, is not only greater than any other species but is applicable across the board.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Humans, unlike any other species can use their strength to make up for lost strengths in other areas. They use their intelligence to gather materials needed to build cars faster than any cheetah. They build telescopes that can see farther and more accuratly than any bird. Medical technology allows us to care for our injured better than any other creature. Furthermore, humans have such complete control over their environments that they have no need to disguise themselves. This ability to compensate, combined with a hightened sense of self awareness and being the best distance runners of any species sets humans apart from other animals and is undeniable evidence. Human intelligence stock rises from $1.00 to $900 trillion. just like venture capitalists, humans invested a little in several startup tech companies and hit it big once, more than making up for small losses in other areas. inb4 butthurt animals tear apart my argument with technicalities

by Anonymous 12 years ago

It's really hard to take someone's argument seriously when they start it with an insult. It's my post, don't tell me not to comment on it when my idea started the entire conversation. Your argument about how great humans are would be valid if all humans were capable of those things, when in reality it's very few that can do any of that. I doubt most of us could even catch a meal or aim a gun accurately enough to kill a predator, and most of us wouldn't have a gun anynway. These things are only important to you because you're human and you rely on it. Any other animal has a different set of priorities. They are all individualized, and none are special.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

But if you think about it, intelligence is the best asset to have. With intelligence, you can make things that go faster than a cheetah, and stronger than an elephant Plus, we can control our natural environment, which is kind of a big deal.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Other animals control their environment for survival too. And only some humans can do that, all wild animals can do whatever it is they do to survive. If you're going to make a comparison, it has to be even.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Im sorry, can you give some examples of animals controlling their environment? But that's the difference between us and them. They do whatever they need to do to survive and we go beyond that. We do what we want to do to enjoy, to learn, to feel. That fact that the comparison isn't even proves that we're different.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Apes building nests in trees, animals living underground, building dams. No one, not even humans, control the environment, they can only protect themselves from it and all animals do that. Otters play, dolphins have sex for pleasure, plenty of animals observe and learn and do every other thing you listed that apparently is only a human trait. Even IF all those things only applied to us, all animals are different and live differently, none of them are separate from the rest. Someone had to be the smartest, someone had to be the fastest, have the longest life span, be the strongest, are any of them separate just because they're specialized in an area some others aren't?

by Anonymous 12 years ago

It's because we are humans. If you saw a cheetah and a bunch of humans on the street, you would immediately notice the cheetah and wonder why it was there. There's nothing weird about putting animals in groups of humans and non-humans. A cheetah would probably think of itself as in a seperate group from all other animals.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Good POTD. I just don't agree with it.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Then why haven't you voted?

by Anonymous 12 years ago

some people have their settings so that you can't see what they voted on a post

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Oh. I didn't know that was possible. But why would anyone do that as an anon?

by Anonymous 12 years ago

oh. sorry I didn't notice they were anon. You can never see how an anon voted lol or at least i've never seen an anon's vote

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Oh, alright. Thanks.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Ok, I think the underlying debate here is what makes us better, so I looked up the definition of better. [better] adjective, compar. of good with best as superl. 1. of superior quality or excellence As far as I can tell we're smarter, and we use that to make us faster, stronger, healthier, deadlier, more protected, more protective, more productive. We have the ability to do all of these things better than any other animal on earth. I think that makes us separate and better.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Thank you

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Yea not to mention even though we've done a good job of destroying the world, humans are thriving more than ever. Our longevity, our populace, our civility, literacy, just about everything is higher and better than its ever been

by Anonymous 12 years ago

I don't consider humans completely individual from animals but I don't think it's remotely strange that most people do.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Colebowl I just read every comment you had to offer on this post and I've come to the conclusion that you're just incredibly ignorant to this subject. Being better is just being on top. If you have the ability to beat someone at something using any means possible, you're better. Take the food chain for instance. We hunt for food. We may not have the ability to just get meat by killing animals with our bare hands. We need tools, where is where our intelligence came into play. We hunted and hunted and now there are thousands of species that are going instinct because of it. I promise you that there won't be a time EVER where you will see zoo's filled with humans as an endangered species. We are on top because we have the ability to hunt something to near extinction and then have the right mindset and thought process to help them breed back into healthy numbers again. If you can think of an example where other species have EVER done that I might just agree with your post. until then i'm afraid i'm going to think we're better.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

This is Colebowl just not signed in.I quit reading after the first line because I can't take an argument seriously if they start it with an insult and I figure anyone who does that doesn't have much an argument to offer.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

It's strange you say they're ignorant when they've actually listed the special abilities that other animals have yet you use the subjective circular argument "we're better because we do what we do and it's better". Just from reading the comments, I'm pretty sure they know a lot more about animals than you do, they're earning an associates in science after all.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Colebowl, saying you're ignorant is only as offensive as you take it. The word ignorant means you know nothing about as opposed calling you stupid. And to the second comment, I really don't understand what you're even trying to say. We are better. that's my point.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

also, again at colebowl. Refusing to listen to any body else's opinion and sticking to your own without considering what they've said is being ignorant. You'll always be ignorant if you never take the time to learn something. and here's your "insult". Refusing to read my comment because I called you ignorant is a very childish thing to do.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

No, I just didn't read your comment because anyone who starts with "I've come to the conclusion that you're just incredibly ignorant" isn't going to offer a real conversation and is as childish as they accuse the other person to be and that they won't take anything I have to say seriously. I didn't refuse to listen to anyone else's opinion, I just didn't listen to yours because you couldn't be an adult about it. If you notice, I did listen to and respond with my own view to the commenters who could be respectful and had something to offer. And sticking with your own opinion after others offer their's doesn't make you ignorant. It doesn't mean anything, other than you kept your opinion. People can still disagree with you after you've had your say and keep their own opinion. By your own logic, any one who didn't learn something from my comments simply because they don't believe there is anything to learn from it is ignorant. It doesn't make them ignorant, I'm actually pretty well educated on a variety of animals and on humans, it just means I think differently than you.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

"I promise you that there won't be a time EVER where you will see zoo's filled with humans as an endangered species." I wouldn't be so quick to think humans are invincible. We are so very easily killed it's insane. You are failing to recognize that we can be wiped out so quickly with //diseases//, especially airborne ones, with our very own inventions of the air travel and crowded cities. If there ever was a disease that could do such a thing, we would be wiped out very quickly if we did not develop vaccines. And that might take a very long time, considering how long it already takes us to find cures for certain diseases. Bacteria has species. If just one species of bacteria that //our very own scientists can create// can wipe us all out, who's to say we're better?

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Colebowl, being uneducated makes you ignorant. You seem to ignore the fact that there are things that are particular and special about humans besides their intelligence and someone CLEARLY pointed out we are the best distance runners. How do you think in the stone age we killed animals that were bigger than us? We got them running with us chasing them and then when they were so tired that they couldn't run anymore, we killed them, and that has nothing to do with intelligence.Chasing down and killing a prey is strictly animal behavior. I think I need to just come all the way back with this. I don't understand what you were even trying to say with this post. Take away a human's intelligence and it's nothing more special than a cheetah that can't run fast? The reason that I disagree with your post Cole is because you're ignoring the fact that we ARE intelligent. For fucks sake, if we didn't I wouldn't be sitting here talking to you in the first place. If we didn't have our intelligence we would have died thousands of years ago like plenty of other animals have. But alas, we have great intelligence and I don't see how you can ignore that fact AT ALL.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

No, actually, the acknowledge the fact that humans are intelligent, that's the entire point of the post dip stick. That we're better at being intelligent but we're not better because we're intelligent. I like how your whole argument is about the post ignoring the fact that humans are intelligent when it doesn't do that AT ALL.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

Spareseconds, that you are completely right about. I agree with that. When I said you won't see a zoo filled with endangered humans. I meant that no one besides other humans will be taking care of us. Monkey's are not going to suddenly "decide" to get the intelligence to talk and help us breed(lol human breeding sounds funny) back into healthy numbers again. If the human race is wiped out into tiny numbers, we're the only ones who can help us rebuild that.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

we were created in Gods image.. a cheeta was not

by Anonymous 12 years ago