What is a Human?

What is a Human? After reading We and Forests: The Shadow of Civilization it is clear that the answer lies in between both of them. We argues that animals are more human than machines whereas Forests: The Shadow of Civilization says that animals are not humans. Then what are we? Is there an answer? The best we can do is analyze the information that we are given and based on that come up with our own answer. Machines and animals don’t have curiosity, individuality, or greed; these are the key components to show that a human is in between a machine and an animal.

All people living in this era are curious about something. Why is it then that the People in We and in the forest aren’t? ‘Humans’ are obsessed with the unknown whether it’s overhearing a conversation, talking about space, or gossip in general. We detest being kept in the dark; it is an incurable need for us to want to know everything. The people in We however, don’t feel the same way. The majority of the people just live their life with a colossal bag of unanswered questions. Every year they vote for the benefactor not knowing why. They just do so because that is what society told them. They don’t question why they need to respect the table of hours, why they need pink coupons, or why they need to do what they are told. They just simply let it slide and tell themselves that’s what everyone does. This fact alone already rules them out as human’s; they don’t have the need to know all. Furthermore, animals are not better. They just live in the forest and don’t ask questions. It isn’t until the thunder struck that they realized that there was a sky. If a   human were stuck in the jungle he/she would have analyzed everything until it made sense. Even if it hadn’t made sense by analyzing everything they would have noticed an odd emptiness above them. The animals run around the jungle all day, never once questioning whether there is somewhere else they could be; they just simply accept it. ‘Humans’ wouldn’t! They would do whatever they deem necessary in order to get the answers they seek.

            Secondly, individuality is a key component in being human. We don’t like to be the same as somebody else we search within ourselves to find the things that make us unique. We like to do our own things because if don’t we would be boring and identical. Machines aren’t familiar with the word: unique. They do as they are told regardless of what they want. They all live the same way with the same rules. As a human that would bother you, we want to do things our own way. Our ego’s tell us we are better than everyone else. Machines don’t care about what others think, they just do as they are told. Animals are the same. They all run all day trying to do the same thing: find food. They don’t care whether somebody is faster than them or better looking. They simply do exactly what every other animal does. As humans we endeavor to find other ways, in the search of being unique and different.

            Lastly, all humans are covetous. We always want something new, we are never fully satisfied with what we are given. All people have this dire need to want more. Whether we can afford what we desire does not matter, what matters is to recognize that we have this greediness within us. Every time something new comes out we want it simply because it’s new, not getting it would mean we are using something old and unwanted. Machines on the other hand, don’t have that emotion; they don’t feel the need to have more. They accept what they are given and don’t ask for more. They live in a society in which you do not ask for anything, you only have what you are given. If you’re brought up like this then you never feel the emotion to constantly want something that is beyond your grasp. Once again, animals are alike. They never feel the need to have something more. Animals could have broken trees and ran until their very last breath trying to uncover something unknown. Yet, they decide to stay put and accept what they are given. Animals and machines lack an emotion that people have, is that not enough to rule them out as Humans?

            These are essential things that each person has, yet for some reason they are absent in animals and machines. Neither of them is human because they are extremes, one is at the end of mankind and the other is at the beginning of it. If the world really does re-create itself and this idea of a cycle exists then we are taking the two most extreme beings. Animal is how we started and Machines may be how we end. The part where we were humans was when we evolved from animals and hadn’t reached a point where we would be rid of our emotions. The answer lies somewhere in between. When exactly is impossible to tell, but we can see that animals and machines are very similar, is it possible that how we started and ended is almost the same? In the beginning we lacked knowledge and technology, but as time progressed did we end up having too much of it?