MAN: THE SOCIAL ANIMAL

Ever since humans started dominating mother earth, we have been referring to ourselves as the social animals. But are we social enough to be called social animals. I feel that almost all the qualities that we have to call ourselves social have been found among animals too. Some qualities that animals have can never be found these days among us, HUMANS. Even then, we say we are superior to all these animals.

Here comes the need to define social. So wat does Wiki have to say about social?

Wiki : It always refers to the interaction of organisms with other organisms and to their collective co-existence, irrespective of whether they are aware of it or not, and irrespective of whether the interaction is voluntary or involuntary.

So, points to note include:

1. Interaction of organisms

2. With other organisms

3. Collective co-existence

Dont animals also satisfy these conditions? So, shouldn't they also be called social?

We have seen co-existence among animals. We see cows and crows together. We see hyenas and wild animals together. Isn't all this co-existence? It certainly is.

Then, what is the next significant difference? Is it the family concept that has evolved among humans? If it is so, the same has evolved among animals too and we can see that they still have not broken up into the nuclear family system. But we have. We can see elephants walking along in groups with a leader and then elephants of various sizes.

Next point to argue about is the knowledge and intelligence. Well, i feel that it requires more knowledge and intelligence to survive in the forest than to live peacefully in the city. They need to hunt for daily food. There is no water facility available for them to take water from. They need to remember the route to get their water. Aren't the animals better in this too compared to us?

Well, there are a lot more points which can be mentioned here like the loyalty that animals has once we take care of it properly. This cannot be found among us, humans. There is no greed for money among animals. They dont kill unless they are hungry but man kills so as to sell the meat to someone else and earn. Well in all these cases aren't animals much better than us?

Whenever we see animals fight, it will never be for money or property. Animals fight only when the question of survival comes. They fight for the basic requirements like food, water, or a mate and not for anything else. But, humans, we fight for everything from a small safety pin to a big aeroplane. Which seems more civilized and social.

Last point that i would like to mention here is the fact that, the only major positive thing about is humans is how we have evolved from the cave men to tech freaks of today. Except perhaps for this transition, we cant be called social and deep within us, we are still the same animals.

So can we at all be called superior to animals?

Can we be called social?

We can be called social and civilized only if we change our behaviours, only if we improve ourselves. Until such time comes we are still only ANIMALS.