Humans Are a Strange Species

officerripley

officerripley

Well-known Member
Location
Porlock, Calif
We humans are a strange species. We can look at other animals, horses, for instance and looking at 2 horses, who are markedly different colors or 1 is male and 1 is female, and say, "Look! Two horses." Both are still horses. Yet, we sometimes--too often--look at another human who is a different color or sex than ourselves and say, "Subhuman!" How strange.
 

Are you saying that we judge humans but not animals? It's true that you can tell a lot about someone by their appearance, while you have to get to know an animal first before assessing their character.
Or are you saying that we judge people by their race? This is true to some extent but a lot depends on our personal experiences.
 
oldaunt said:
Yet another reason why I prefer the company of animals.
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Me too. I live alone apart from my pets. I know exactly what to expect from them....and how they view me.....the provider of veggies!! I'll go out in the pouring rain to buy cucumber, even though I never eat it myself. Nothing is too much trouble. However, when it comes to humans, it's a different matter.
 
Lavinia said:
Are you saying that we judge humans but not animals? It's true that you can tell a lot about someone by their appearance, while you have to get to know an animal first before assessing their character.
Or are you saying that we judge people by their race? This is true to some extent but a lot depends on our personal experiences.
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You can make a lot of assumptions based on appearance but it really isn't wise to judge (develop opinions about) individual humans till you observe/experience more of their behavior. To extrapolate character of any group based on the behavior of some is in short prejudice. Judgement gets a bad rap tho we make dozens of them every day and they are necessary in life. But it is really prejudging that is not good, smart.
 
officerripley said:
We humans are a strange species. We can look at other animals, horses, for instance and looking at 2 horses, who are markedly different colors or 1 is male and 1 is female, and say, "Look! Two horses." Both are still horses. Yet, we sometimes--too often--look at another human who is a different color or sex than ourselves and say, "Subhuman!" How strange.
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We humans are prone to quick irrational views, that's for sure. I have lived on a farm with lots of animals. Different colors, sizes, ages, breeding, and "looks", and we have made many a decision based on those things. Maybe there is a bit of our innate "preservation" instincts involved in this discrimination.?
 
feywon said:
You can make a lot of assumptions based on appearance but it really isn't wise to judge (develop opinions about) individual humans till you observe/experience more of their behavior. To extrapolate character of any group based on the behavior of some is in short prejudice. Judgement gets a bad rap tho we make dozens of them every day and they are necessary in life. But it is really prejudging that is not good, smart.
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It's stereotyping. I've come across this a lot myself. People are surprised when they get to know me and find that I'm not what they thought. They judged me by how I look.
I was once walking along the street when I was approached by a young man dressed in black leather, chains, rings in his nose. I was extremely nervous until he spoke to me. He very politely asked me the way to the hospital....so yes, I know you can't judge by appearance.
 
@officerripley 's statement was an obvious exaggeration. But what is true is there are significant numbers of people that tend to size up strangers with inconsiderate flawed overly confident first impressions. That is especially true in some work places. When some employees later notice those impressions were wrong, it apparently irritates them, and they work to change other peers opinions often with innuendos and body language. The more they find they were wrong, the more resentful it may make them. That is why there are some people even in large professional office places that from the first time they meet you, seem to have this negative attitude about you they never really let go of.

I first experienced such going to grade schools where I was often a new person. Went to 10 different K12 schools as my father moved a lot. Unfortunately my mother put me in kindergarten, at age 4 so I was also often the youngest kid in all my subsequent grades that combined with also being short and thin, greatly affected how other school kids formed first impressions. Same thing when I went into the work world where during the 1970's era being tall was far more an issue than today.

Am relating this in order to indicate it is a natural Earth creature behavior across many species to feel positive about others like one and negative about those less so. As intelligent entities, we have the capacity to rise above such innate behaviors though many never do. If one studies anthropology or human history, it is obvious such was far more the situation before this recent modern era.
 
officerripley said:
We humans are a strange species. We can look at other animals, horses, for instance and looking at 2 horses, who are markedly different colors or 1 is male and 1 is female, and say, "Look! Two horses." Both are still horses. Yet, we sometimes--too often--look at another human who is a different color or sex than ourselves and say, "Subhuman!" How strange.
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Bingo! Humans 101. The Human brain is a billion-computations-a-seconds judgment computer, it's what makes humans the #1 preditor on the planet. Big brain, big ego...goes with the territory.

Humans have the power to annihilate every living creature on the planet, something that not even mosquitos can brag about.
 
Just to be nitpicking— Humans do judge animals as well. Breeders of dogs, horses, cows etc look at an animal to determine which traits or characteristics they value and want to pass on.
Horticulturists do this as well with plants.

Wildlife will judge when choosing a mate as seen in displays birds do. “Look at my tail feathers, aren’t they better than that other peacock.”

Just like humans err sometimes in judging other humans they sometimes err in judging animals and we end up with dogs with inherited health problems. Or nuisance hybrid plants l8ke the Bradford Pear tree.

Animals will judge humans. Always trust a dog’s judgement about people!!
 
MountainRa said:
Just to be nitpicking— Humans do judge animals as well. Breeders of dogs, horses, cows etc look at an animal to determine which traits or characteristics they value and want to pass on.
Horticulturists do this as well with plants.

Wildlife will judge when choosing a mate as seen in displays birds do. “Look at my tail feathers, aren’t they better than that other peacock.”

Just like humans err sometimes in judging other humans they sometimes err in judging animals and we end up with dogs with inherited health problems. Or nuisance hybrid plants l8ke the Bradford Pear tree.

Animals will judge humans. Always trust a dog’s judgement about people!!
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Although my orig. post never used the words "judge" or "judging", I guess what I was referring to could be considered by some to be judging. However, the point I was trying to make is way beyond judging; considering that a fellow human is not even human is way beyond judging, IMO, it's evil, stupid, and cruel, much more cruel than an animal breeder or a horticulturist judging that an animal or plant is not quite the best representative of its kind is in no way as bad as one human denying another their basic identity. In. No. Way. As. Bad.
 
I used to judge people based on their appearance, but I've seen so much lately that I would have considered outrageous in the old days that it no longer affects me. I think it is the result of living in a metropolitan city.

We went for lunch today and the guy at the register had earlobes that were stretched out beyond belief with big holes in them (and no earrings). It wasn't exactly appetizing, but I chose to ignore it and think "you do you". Anything is considered "normal" today.

And for some reason, this just came up in my Youtube queue, so there you go.

 
Alligatorob said:
I sure hope that doesn't happen very often. Despite our differences I don't think anyone on the SF would think that way.
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I don't think anyone here would either. But all you have to do is watch the news and while I haven't heard anyone since the 1960s come right out and say stuff about slavery not being that bad ("they're like children"), I think----no wait, some preacher was in the news saying that the other day! See what I mean? :(
 
Shalimar said:
Recently, some very racist comments around black people being of lesser intelligence were posted here on this forum. Turned my stomach, shocked others also. Who can be certain how far this prejudice goes? Contempt is a very slippery slope.
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My experience with racists? They are looked down upon by their own peer group, so they go outside of their group to bash other races. It stems from insecurity and a lack of self worth in my opinion...blaming other cultures because you never rose to your own potential.
 
Beezer said:
My experience with racists? They are looked down upon by their own peer group, so they go outside of their group to bash other races. It stems from insecurity and a lack of self worth in my opinion...blaming other cultures because you never rose to your own potential.
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A lot of racists have fellow scoundrels as their "peer groups," and they grow up with or adapt racist attitudes to fit into those groups. They'd be ostracized if they were open minded about people from other cultures and origins.

Another source of racism comes from, like you stated, insecurity and low self-esteem. They blame their shortcomings on other people.
 
Shalimar said:
Recently, some very racist comments around black people being of lesser intelligence were posted here on this forum. Turned my stomach, shocked others also. Who can be certain how far this prejudice goes? Contempt is a very slippery slope.
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I saw those comments. Their prejudice runs deep. It doesn't take a lot of b*lls to speak out and malign others on an internet forum. It's akin to hiding behind the safety of your mama's skirt. In reality, they are gutless.
 
Alligatorob said:
I sure hope that doesn't happen very often. Despite our differences I don't think anyone on the SF would think that way.
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Let's be honest, some may feel more than think it, just generally have enough sense not to say it outright. But i (as well as others) have been publicly labeled 'deviants' by at least one person on SF. Maybe not quite the same as being thought subhuman, and considering the source-- well let's just say i have no problem with the label because i'd rather not acceptably conform to their standards.
 


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