I'm particularly fond of being human~ I like our creativity, ingenuity, courage, generosity, love, kindness, compassion, so many things... I think human beings are the coolest things on the planet.
I can agree that we are one of the coolest things on the planet. We could use some upgrading, so we could learn to live with less needs. We are the only living things on the planet that take so much and give so little.
Upgrading would be nice, but how would we do it? What would we upgrade? It seems that we've been "downgrading" due to our programming instead of education. School doesn't teach us how to think for ourselves, they teach us WHAT to think according to their "truths".
Less needs? Our actual "needs" are few, but we aren't prairie dogs, sharks, butterflies, grizzly bears, boston ferns, sea kelp, etc. We're humans. Our nature is what it is. WE ARE upgrading constantly. We're also not eternal so each one of us needs to learn our own lessons. We're not hive beings, just social. Maybe the best thing we could do to upgrade is get rid of the powers that be across the board with all of their machinations and manipulations, but that would drop us back into the "survival of the fittest" and that means strongest, toughest and sadly, most ruthless. Oh wait... we're still playing that game! Sadly, that means protecting what we have, providing for ours. And those who have won before (and now) are being maligned for trying to do better for us. We judge them by our "20/20 hindsight". I find that intellectually suspect and disingenuous.
We're still creatures of the caves and tribes. We struggle to better our lot because that's what we are and when we get power or goods or what passes for valuable items, we fight to keep them. I'm partial to my freedoms. This is one place where we have more freedom than any other place or time on Earth. I'm rather fond of it and would like to continue on that path.
I also don't buy the idea that we give so little. How aren't we giving? There are plenty of organisms that exist on this planet to take from the environment around them and give back only when they die. We are just as integral and vital a part of the ecosystem as a sequoia or a tube worm or a pronghorn antelope.
I guess I was refering to the race for oil, digging coal, global warming, endangered animals, melting ice caps, natural disasters. These are just some of the things we as peole are taking from the earth. I know some or these are beyond our controle, or are they?
Drilling for oil and mining for coal to make the electricity we use, fuel the vehicles we drive (which get bigger all the time), leave holes the size of small towns that collapse as sink holes. They off balance the structure of the ground perhapse causing mud slides or earthquakes. Foresting operations in the worlds decidious forests, rain forests, and northern conifer forests not only leave the land barren but accesable to flash flooding, land slides, and dust storms not to mention the growing deserts around the world.
Which leads me to global warming. I do think it is not only people that are causing this but we are not innocent bystanders either. With all the oil being burned for electricity, fuel in motor vehicles, and along with the coal being burned in factories we are creating CO2 levels that only can be matched by a many huge volcanic eruptions. Combine this with all the CO2 using O2 producing forest land being cut every year we have much higher levels of CO2 in the atmosphear.
CO2 levels rise and the green house effect takes over warming the planet. The ice caps melt decreasing the Polar Bear's hunting area, forest areas shrinking and desert areas expanding decreases habitat for many other species of animals (some of which we haven't even found yet). Natural disasters are on the increase around the world. Is it man made or nature changing on it's own. Only time will tell.
My point is that as humans we take from the planet all the time and give back little. To upgrade we need to look into alternative energy sources. Wind, water, and bio-fuels, along with natural methane our landfills produce we can eliminate or restore all we have taken. It can be done.
I am not saying we have to go back to caves and hunter catherer type living. I am saying to upgrade we need to change the way we handle the resources we have.
I hope I have not offended anyone by this but this is what I believe. I hope this evplains my previous post and leaves no hard feelings with anyone here.
I don't have any hard feelings about those concepts. I just don't agree with the assumption that we don't give back enough.
This list is about what I think the good things are about being human. About my existing as a human. While I don't mind you making a comment on my list, if you have a different list about how you feel about being human, it might be good to post your own. If you don't feel the same way about being human, then that's fine. I don't agree and find it increasingly disturbing that we are being taught that being what we are is "unnatural", "wrong", "sinful", "against nature", etc., etc. These things reflect and repeat the same sort of ideology religions have been spouting for centuries.
People need to be careful and respectful of the environment, but I really dislike the idea that we are being inoculated to hate ourselves, our humanity.
"People need to be careful and respectful of the environment, but I really dislike the idea that we are being inoculated to hate ourselves, our humanity. "
This is an interesting (and, imo, accurate) way to phrase that. I've noticed this as well, from some, and it disturbs me.
I agree with the traits you have listed in being human and am sorry for not following along with your line of thinking on this list. I am new and didn't realise the listings were to discuss similar likes in the disgussion. I am grateful for being human and enjoy all the posative and joyous traits we have also.
That's ok. No apologies necessary, Tom. Hope I didn't put you off with my reply. I noticed you were new when I "connected" to you. :-) I don't mind your comments at all, Tom. I hope you enjoy Gather. Love your icon!
I love beging human. We are walking, talking, miracles of creation. Can you believe we carry around an 8 pound head (like a bowling ball) everywhere we go. LOL
I love it too. In fact I did an article for the group - a really long one, but the publisher wiped it out. When I get over being mad at myself for not doing it on my word processor first, I'll fo it again. I like opposable thumbs.
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Comments: 22
Less needs? Our actual "needs" are few, but we aren't prairie dogs, sharks, butterflies, grizzly bears, boston ferns, sea kelp, etc. We're humans. Our nature is what it is. WE ARE upgrading constantly. We're also not eternal so each one of us needs to learn our own lessons. We're not hive beings, just social. Maybe the best thing we could do to upgrade is get rid of the powers that be across the board with all of their machinations and manipulations, but that would drop us back into the "survival of the fittest" and that means strongest, toughest and sadly, most ruthless. Oh wait... we're still playing that game! Sadly, that means protecting what we have, providing for ours. And those who have won before (and now) are being maligned for trying to do better for us. We judge them by our "20/20 hindsight". I find that intellectually suspect and disingenuous.
We're still creatures of the caves and tribes. We struggle to better our lot because that's what we are and when we get power or goods or what passes for valuable items, we fight to keep them. I'm partial to my freedoms. This is one place where we have more freedom than any other place or time on Earth. I'm rather fond of it and would like to continue on that path.
I also don't buy the idea that we give so little. How aren't we giving? There are plenty of organisms that exist on this planet to take from the environment around them and give back only when they die. We are just as integral and vital a part of the ecosystem as a sequoia or a tube worm or a pronghorn antelope.
Drilling for oil and mining for coal to make the electricity we use, fuel the vehicles we drive (which get bigger all the time), leave holes the size of small towns that collapse as sink holes. They off balance the structure of the ground perhapse causing mud slides or earthquakes. Foresting operations in the worlds decidious forests, rain forests, and northern conifer forests not only leave the land barren but accesable to flash flooding, land slides, and dust storms not to mention the growing deserts around the world.
Which leads me to global warming. I do think it is not only people that are causing this but we are not innocent bystanders either. With all the oil being burned for electricity, fuel in motor vehicles, and along with the coal being burned in factories we are creating CO2 levels that only can be matched by a many huge volcanic eruptions. Combine this with all the CO2 using O2 producing forest land being cut every year we have much higher levels of CO2 in the atmosphear.
CO2 levels rise and the green house effect takes over warming the planet. The ice caps melt decreasing the Polar Bear's hunting area, forest areas shrinking and desert areas expanding decreases habitat for many other species of animals (some of which we haven't even found yet). Natural disasters are on the increase around the world. Is it man made or nature changing on it's own. Only time will tell.
My point is that as humans we take from the planet all the time and give back little. To upgrade we need to look into alternative energy sources. Wind, water, and bio-fuels, along with natural methane our landfills produce we can eliminate or restore all we have taken. It can be done.
I am not saying we have to go back to caves and hunter catherer type living. I am saying to upgrade we need to change the way we handle the resources we have.
I hope I have not offended anyone by this but this is what I believe.
I hope this evplains my previous post and leaves no hard feelings with anyone here.
This list is about what I think the good things are about being human. About my existing as a human. While I don't mind you making a comment on my list, if you have a different list about how you feel about being human, it might be good to post your own. If you don't feel the same way about being human, then that's fine. I don't agree and find it increasingly disturbing that we are being taught that being what we are is "unnatural", "wrong", "sinful", "against nature", etc., etc. These things reflect and repeat the same sort of ideology religions have been spouting for centuries.
People need to be careful and respectful of the environment, but I really dislike the idea that we are being inoculated to hate ourselves, our humanity.
(in the city you can have a bad day with them)
I love humans when I'm writing novels. I love the freaks. I wonder what that says about me.
(I don't think I'm ever going to have a Mom heroine who has 17 kids unless she lives in a shoe)
"People need to be careful and respectful of the environment, but I really dislike the idea that we are being inoculated to hate ourselves, our humanity. "
This is an interesting (and, imo, accurate) way to phrase that. I've noticed this as well, from some, and it disturbs me.
For all of our faults we also have great strengths... sadly sometimes they are the same, but we are amazing creatures!