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My theory is that humans inject this into it. My observation and feelings are that animals see themselves as part of a much larger whole and don’t worry too muc
by ChatGTP 3y ago
My theory is that humans inject this into it. My observation and feelings are that animals see themselves as part of a much larger whole and don’t worry too much about being the “final whatever”, it’s just a concept.
Ironically it’s our quest to not be the last songbird that seems to keep ruining the planet for the songbirds.
- ben_w 3y agoThey may or may not see themselves as "the last one", but that's independent from them being lonely because of it.
- jstanley 3y ago> animals see themselves as part of a much larger whole I really don't think animals pay any attention to abstract concepts like this at all.
- ChatGTP 3y agoLet me rephrase actually. They don’t think it. They just know it. They don’t live in constant anxiety like us.
- lolinder 3y agoI think we humans overestimate how unique we are. We're at the top of a wide spectrum of intelligence, but it's startling the degree to which even secularly-minded people see our species as different in kind than the rest of the animal kingdom—I normally associate that kind of human exceptionalism with religion. I'm not familiar enough with birds to speak about them, but other mammalian species absolutely understand loneliness, and understand the difference between having human friends and having friends of their same species.
- Dalewyn 3y ago>I think we humans overestimate how unique we are. That a lot of us refuse to see ourselves as part of the animal kingdom is indication enough. Let's also not forget our pompous assumption that only humans can make and use tools (debunked), only humans can feel emotions (debunked), and so on. If something ferocious ever comes around to knock humanity down several pegs, it will be very deserved.
- softg 3y agoI mean is it that unreasonable to think that humans are radically different from any other species we know? Because we obviously are. I don't see any dogs writing on this forum to dispute the uniqueness of humans any time soon. There are clearly many things that we humans can do and no other animal can. A study about chimps using sticks to hunt termites isn't going to be enough to bridge that gap. "Deserved" is a human concept. Pretty much all 'smart' animals (orcas, dolphins, bonobos, etc.) engage in extremely cruel behaviors towards other species or even to their kind. They are no better than us. We're the only ones who are having moral qualms over it (and we should).
- SamoyedFurFluff 3y agoBy this logic, cuttlefish must think we’re low iq deafmutes because they don’t see us communicating via variously uv-sensitive patterns on our skin as we trundle along in the ocean. Something as pea brained as a groundhog has calls to describe the shape, color, threat level, and individuality of any number of warning calls. Orcas literally have memes. I’m sure if dolphins could use the internet we’d get so much “dead fish on head” r/fashionadvice.