On the Human Condition

The topic of “human condition” could be considered quite a broad field at first glance. But upon inspection, you can see the points to be made, and what sides could be taken up. Its that there’s a lot to use in the topic itself, not that its too vast to summarize.

What I aim here to focus on is the degradation of human physical prowess and overall capability over the course of what is largely considered as civilized social development.

We are animals. As such, we have all the abilities, attributes, weaknesses, and loopholes of them. Combined with our innate ability to create and follow logical construct, and support abstract thought, that means we have quite the potential. Potential is integral in its meaning here. It doesn’t mean we are naturally superior to anything. It means we can become something better than what is currently employed. It also means we can make ourselves prey to many simple and common things.

Taking a look at what a majority of humanity considers to be inferior to them, other animals are quite adept at the things we no longer have the ease of doing. A dog may search and find food with its nose, with little worry of a problematic environment due to its adaptions to fight and overcome climate related inconveniences. Chimpanzees have strength enough in one arm to propel themselves through the trees. Leopards are one of the fastest and most agile creatures on land. Humiliatingly to most people, we are out tricked by the common rodent, as well. Meanwhile, however, most humans seem incapable of being able to forage for food by themselves outside of an urban cityscape, let alone being able to ward off environmental inconsistencies on their own.

I see that we’ve gotten to this point by labeling such acts as below us, and not worth our time. By us having the power to judge what’s around us, we can make massive changes. By some judgments becoming partial somewhere along the line, however, our massive changes ignorantly have come back to harm us. A lot of historical peoples aimed to make life more convenient for everybody, but by ignoring the inclusion of human impulses, drives, and desires, many of the institutions created are unequally serving some, and hurting others. Supermarkets were made to make the scavenging easier. But our few agriculturists are given the heavy load of growing the food for the masses.