Are Humans Really The Smartest Animal?

Lets explore the life of Hank, a typical human, and see how he ranks in terms of intelligence compared to other animals.

Hank wakes at 6:30am. He lets the dog out and shaves. He brings the dog in, and fills its food bowl. He pats the cat and makes coffee for himself. Has his breakfast and leaves for work just as his wife and 2.3 kids get out of bed. He drives 45 minutes to work, risking his life on the road twice a day. The radio tells him of the weather, news, and latest crimes in the area. He pays for parking.   

At work he punches in to prove what time he showed up. He listens to his co-workers as they engage in office politics. They ask his views, will he join them if they walk out to protest the latest cut backs? He looks over next months schedule. He was put on to work on the one day he had asked to be off (his daughters birthday), and yet his hours were reduced on other days. Sigh.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lumaxart/2136948367/

His lunch is a prefabricated, frozen meatloaf and mashed potatoes, warmed in a microwave and served with another helping of coffee. He sits in a office for the rest of the day, broken only by his boss walking by with a clearly favored co-worker. The boss looks into his office and says nothing, continuing past joking with the other employee. Hanks wife phones to remind him to get some groceries. If he has no money, he should put it on their Master Card. Outside his window pigeons sit on a ledge.

Quitting time Hank heads home, another 45 minute, life-risking, drive, the car needs gas. He stops at a store to buy milk, diapers, and a few other items. He picks up the mail. Bills. Reminders that he must keep working. He enters his home, bombarded by his wife’s need to tell him about her day, she was doing the laundry. The kids demand his attention. At least until their television show starts.

Dinner is beef, undoubtedly injected with red dye and hormones. Corn, grown with pesticides, and potatoes, all nicely prepared ahead of time from the freezer section of a store, heated in the oven until warm.

After dinner he cleans the dog poop from the lawn and then mows the lawn. Then he must read to the kids while his wife does the dishes and cleans the bathroom. He cleans the cats litter box, then lets the dog out and watches some television, the news, then he brings the dog in, pats the cat, and retires to bed.

Now let us examine the other animals

Hanks cat woke at 7:00 am, was patted. The cat ate some food and went back to sleep. It woke up some 2 hours later, rolled over, ate some more food, used the litter box, walked around and went back to sleep. In the after noon it went outside for about 2 hours, watched as pigeons flew over head, laid in a sunbeam. It went inside, ate, used its litter box, got played by the kids, and slept some more. Just before it goes to bed that night it asks for, and receives, pats from Hank.

 http://www.flickr.com/photos/dominiqs/331702231/

Hanks dog went out at 6:30, peed and came in to eat. It went out again to poop and play in the yard. Hanks wife took the dog (and kids) for a walk before noon. After noon the dog had a nap while Hanks wife did the laundry, later it played ball with her when she had a moment. It had its dinner and some of Hanks left overs, beef, corn, and potatoes. It went out again before bed and curled up for the night at the foot of Hanks bed.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/danzr4ever/102201740/

The pigeons woke up at 6:00 am they flew from their roosts to the streets below where they knew they would find crumbs from the people who had been out the night before. They fly around throughout the day, cooing to each other. Warming and resting on building ledges. Roosting as dusk sets in.

 http://www.flickr.com/photos/wili/2113518812/

Now you tell me, are humans really the smartest animal on the planet?

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