Animals Teach Us To Be Human

Some scholars say that we tend to humanize animals. However, others propose that the process is the other way around and that, in fact, animals teach us to be human.

While  the word “human” refers to our condition as a species, it is also related to a series of values ​​and principles that people should have. A “humane” relationship with others originates in a disinterested relationship that normally privileges those who are in a condition of inferiority.

However, it is very common to see this type of behavior in animals, which offer us a series of lessons on how to get along with others and how to be better each day.

How can we learn from animals?

People can learn from animals due to the fact that, basically, human beings are social animals and, facing a peaceful coexistence, the animal kingdom has a lot to teach, especially because in nature everything boils down to the symbiotic relationship of species.

Animals are capable of feeling a wide range of emotions and developing complex social relationships, which involve looking after themselves as well as others.

Analysis of the emotional life of animals has indicated that they are capable of experiencing deep feelings.  Furthermore, those with complex social groups even relate these emotions to things, animals or people, for example, in the case of dogs and cats.

Some of the things animals can teach us about our own humanity are:

Focus on what’s important

Something that delights most pet owners is when, upon returning home exhausted from their jobs, the animals welcome them with great displays of affection, desperately asking for attention.

However, if you have a dog and he is the one who is tired, either because he played a lot or just got back from a walk, whenever you get home he will welcome you with enthusiasm, because no matter how your pet feels, you are most important to him.

Live the moment

Animals, by their very nature, live centered in the present moment, while we as humans are all too often distracted by thoughts about the past and the future, whether because of a fight with a friend the night before or due to performance review with our boss tomorrow.

By taking animals as an example and living more in the present, we can find an opportunity to more fully appreciate what is happening right now in our lives.

enjoy our senses

Alert and attentive to their senses, animals respond to signals that the world offers them and that surrounds them, trusting their instincts and acting on them.

However,  when we rationalize what our instincts tell us, we tend to ignore the signals, risking to waste important insights about events, circumstances or people around us.

When we respond to our senses and recognize our instincts, we open ourselves to new options and opportunities.

Communicate beyond words

As this is the most frequent method, we rely exclusively on words. However, we forget to take into account the many other ways of externalizing the inner world.

The tone of our voice, our facial expressions, our posture, our movements also communicate emotions and intentions, often more reliably than the words we choose.

take time to rest

In the hectic pace of our daily routine, it’s all too easy to fill our days with a constant stream of activities, meetings, and tasks to complete before it’s too late.

But, following the example of our dogs and cats, the lions of the zoo, of a falcon, we can learn to have quiet moments to rest a little and to have time to relax and reflect.

the value of playing

In the middle of our day, when we feel the pressures at work or at home, a well-deserved distraction, even for just a few minutes, can ease our burden and help ease our worries.  Whether it’s birds, mammals, fish or insects, the creatures that surround us usually play.

In this way, animals interact and learn from the world. And we learn from them.

Image credits: Cassia Afini.