What makes us human?

Feelings? Emotions?

Dogs have feelings. Frequently, I'd say, much more so than humans. Are dogs human? Are dogs more human than humans?

Intelligence? Abstract reasoning? Language?

How far are we really from our cousins the apes in these departments? Where does the ape end and the human start?

The use of tools? Learning? Communication? See above, but don't forget elephants and squids (yes, squids).

Social behaviour? Culture? Dolphins also come to mind.

An organized society? A common effort? Ants and termites can also handle that quite effectively.

Speech? Words and sentences? I've heard of many a parrot who can do that (and much more).

Of course, we have all of these things combined, and we beat all other species at any one of them. Whatever it is, we make it more, better and bigger. But is that all? Is it just a question of grade?

I say not. I say there is something uniquely human. I say it's creativity.

Oh, other animals can be quite creative at times, yes. But I don't mean the ability to create. I mean the need. We have one thing no other species on this big piece of rock has. We have a unique instinct, a unique need. We need to use our hands and brains and bring about change. We need to invent, make, build, draw, design, compose, devise, fabricate, cause, produce, bring into existence, generate, form, shape, mould, develop, construct...

Give a child two sticks and a piece of string and he'll make a cross (give that to MacGyver and he'll make an APC).

We need to create. We need to make new things, even if we don't need the things we make. We need to make things, just for the sake of it. We need to create things, even if they've already been created. We need to do it, and we need to do it our way.

I bet all of this has already been said before. I don't care. I needed to write this. I needed to do it my way.

by MasterMan