Discussion What really defines us as being "human"

[Another Day Empty]

So I had been thinking about the designation of humanity as a whole and I was reminded of the song by Aesthetic Perfection - Human
What makes us human?
Are we so different from everything else?
Is there anything inside us that makes us truly unique?
Is it the ability to feel love?
Is it the ability to feel pain?
Is it the ability to feel hope?
Is it the ability to make our own choices, accepting our own mistakes?
Am I who I am because I chose to be?
Or am I just a simple combination of random events?
Would you still be the same person if you had not lived your life exactly as you did?
Has every minor element of your life helped to shape who you are today?
Do we have enough control to design the person we want to be?
What is it that makes us choose?
What makes you change?
What makes you human?

And since listening to it again and being reminded of the lyrics, it got me thinking about the question again... What do we really collectively possess in our own lives that we can use to define us as being Human? Is it what we do, what we say? Feelings are subjective so.... Where is the common ground that we stand upon to begin rationalizing and coming to some agreement for what being "human" is and how it relates to the world around us.
I would love to hear what everyone else has to say about this, please take a bit of time to share your thoughts and opinion on this, I really need to hear what others think about all this. It's been a thought/question that has been on my mind for some time now..


Anyhow, if you've got this far in my message, thank you for taking the time to read.
John

 

[akirat9]

ヴァーチュ
信心
死—前—不名誉

 

[Julgran]

So I had been thinking about the designation of humanity as a whole and I was reminded of the song by Aesthetic Perfection - Human
What makes us human?
Are we so different from everything else?
Is there anything inside us that makes us truly unique?
Is it the ability to feel love?
Is it the ability to feel pain?
Is it the ability to feel hope?
Is it the ability to make our own choices, accepting our own mistakes?
Am I who I am because I chose to be?
Or am I just a simple combination of random events?
Would you still be the same person if you had not lived your life exactly as you did?
Has every minor element of your life helped to shape who you are today?
Do we have enough control to design the person we want to be?
What is it that makes us choose?
What makes you change?
What makes you human?

And since listening to it again and being reminded of the lyrics, it got me thinking about the question again... What do we really collectively possess in our own lives that we can use to define us as being Human? Is it what we do, what we say? Feelings are subjective so.... Where is the common ground that we stand upon to begin rationalizing and coming to some agreement for what being "human" is and how it relates to the world around us.
I would love to hear what everyone else has to say about this, please take a bit of time to share your thoughts and opinion on this, I really need to hear what others think about all this. It's been a thought/question that has been on my mind for some time now..


Anyhow, if you've got this far in my message, thank you for taking the time to read.
John

We humans are megalomaniac. I'm sure that other species have their own views of themselves, but what sets us humans apart seems to be that some of us seem to believe that we are superior to other beings. Think of that what you will

I wouldn't be surpised to learn that there's fish in the oceans that think that humans are stupid for walking on that weird thing that we call "land" - it's all a matter of perspective.

 

[Another Day Empty]

We humans are megalomaniac. I'm sure that other species have their own views of themselves, but what sets us humans apart seems to be that some of us seem to believe that we are superior to other beings. Think of that what you will

I wouldn't be surpised to learn that there's fish in the oceans that think that humans are stupid for walking on that weird thing that we call "land" - it's all a matter of perspective.

Nihilistic mystics
Apostolic alcoholics
Messianic manics
Cataclysmic and prolific

In the age of super-boredom
Hype and mediocrity
Celebrate relentlessness
Menace to society

 

[Julgran]

Nihilistic mystics
Apostolic alcoholics
Messianic manics
Cataclysmic and prolific

In the age of super-boredom
Hype and mediocrity
Celebrate relentlessness
Menace to society

I'm not sure what you mean, but I - at least - am nihilistic.

...just don't blame the fish for my strange ideas

 

[Another Day Empty]

ヴァーチュ
信心
死—前—不名誉

I'm sorry, I can't understand what you replied. I can't really trust Google translate

I'm not sure what you mean, but I - at least - am nihilistic.

Oops, I forgot that I was responding in lyrics to the song Megalomaniac by KMFDM...

I'm not sure what you mean, but I - at least - am nihilistic.

...just don't blame the fish for my strange ideas

I already blame the fish, it's okay

 

[theboy]

Simple: Rationalization

 

[Another Day Empty]

Simple: Rationalization

I like the response

I like the response

How are you doing this evening?

 

[Ashu]

Problems of definition are problems of language, and problems of language are not real problems.

 

[Another Day Empty]

Problems of definition are problems of language, and problems of language are not real problems.

Agreed, very well put. I like your response, thank you for adding your part

 

[akirat9]

I'm sorry, I can't understand what you replied. I can't really trust Google translate

I say Virtue for human
and Death before Dishonor

 

[waitingforrest]

So I had been thinking about the designation of humanity as a whole and I was reminded of the song by Aesthetic Perfection - Human
What makes us human?
Are we so different from everything else?
Is there anything inside us that makes us truly unique?
Is it the ability to feel love?
Is it the ability to feel pain?
Is it the ability to feel hope?
Is it the ability to make our own choices, accepting our own mistakes?
Am I who I am because I chose to be?
Or am I just a simple combination of random events?
Would you still be the same person if you had not lived your life exactly as you did?
Has every minor element of your life helped to shape who you are today?
Do we have enough control to design the person we want to be?
What is it that makes us choose?
What makes you change?
What makes you human?

And since listening to it again and being reminded of the lyrics, it got me thinking about the question again... What do we really collectively possess in our own lives that we can use to define us as being Human? Is it what we do, what we say? Feelings are subjective so.... Where is the common ground that we stand upon to begin rationalizing and coming to some agreement for what being "human" is and how it relates to the world around us.
I would love to hear what everyone else has to say about this, please take a bit of time to share your thoughts and opinion on this, I really need to hear what others think about all this. It's been a thought/question that has been on my mind for some time now..


Anyhow, if you've got this far in my message, thank you for taking the time to read.
John

The lyrics sound like pure poetry, now I have got to give this song a listen.

I wonder what makes us human as well. At the end of our lives, how quickly we can disappear. I don't even know, and maybe that's what I like about it. The mystery of it all.