Are we the weirdos on Planet Earth?

I visited the Smithsonian Zoo in Washington DC a week ago. It was very impressive -- a large campus splattered with a variety of trees, but it got me thinking. As I made the rounds of the zoo, a sudden realization shattered my homo-centric thinking patterns.


Humans think, that humans, by definition, are normal. We believe that we are the golden standard to which all living beings should be compared with. As I was touring the zoo observing various co-habitants of Earth, I realized that we may not be the golden standard after all. Do technological advances really mean that we are an advanced species?

We keep animals in cages and often charge people to gawk at them. The zoo officials get to play god to these defenseless animals while the management gets to sell Giant Panda "teddy bears". If humans are put in cages and made into an entertainment/educational show, everyone will agree, that is cruelty. But we do much worse to the animals and call it conserving wildlife! Zoos around the world are involved in conservation efforts, but I am not convinced that this particular method for preserving nature is the right one.
I observed the Zebra caged in an enclosure near the Spotted cheetah. That's like putting me in a cage adjoining one that houses my school Gym teacher. In both cases, normal digestive functions are suspended as the bowel retracts in fear. That, in my opinion, was beyond cruel.

As I was reading the names of exotic species outside their displays, I was appalled at the insensitivity we show towards our co-species. "Red-bellied Tortoise", "Three-toed amphiuma", "Rat-tailed Rat snake", "Black Tailed Prairie Dog" were the kind of names that we have given to spectacular animal species. Is this not politically incorrect? If I call someone "Lilly-Livered, Yellow-bellied chicken-hearted scardy-cat", I'm sure I will be subpoenaed. This insult is not only insulting to flowers, poultry and cats, its also colorist. Names like "Emperor Newt" and "Common musk turtle" are undoubtedly racist. If we make an effort to be sensitive and politically correct when humans are concerned, why cant we do the same towards other life forms?

The Giant Panda and it's new-born baby was the big new exhibit at the zoo. The Panda mother was sleeping in a creeper-lined cave that opened towards us. It was a hot afternoon, and the poor panda was catching up on forty winks. The people around noisily photographed her with blinding flashes. It is painful to imagine even one afternoon when I am trying to nap, and people are staring, talking loudly and photographing me with bright flashes. I felt sorry for the captive panda mother who has to face this torture from 6am to 8pm, 7 days a week.

The invertebrate exhibit fascinated me. The most spectacular, goose-bumpy denizen of the deep was the giant octopus. Floating in a glass cage barely 4 times it's volume, it was orange in color, it looked like Arnold Schwarzenegger when it filled it's "mouth" with water and expelled it, propelling it's body in the water. With it's eight graceful sucker-enhanced tentacles, it looked surreal as it hovered in the water. It's eyes made it seem angry towards the world, and its pulsating body gave the impression that it was cursing silently at it's predicament. The octopus almost looked alien (by standards established by most science fiction writers), which itself is an insult to it's species, as it has been in existence for more time than humans have.


Invertebrates like spiders, crabs, sea urchins, coral, anemones, ants, cockroaches, lobsters, centipedes etc inspired a thought -- if we think that they are weird and creepy, we must be even weirder and creepier. These creatures have inhabited earth for billions of years more than us humans, and deserve respect. We are the creepy ones with obsessions and perversions. We have been playing God with these innocent beings, and we must find better ways of giving them space and privacy, and the answer is not Zoos!

We talk about being inhuman, but is that the correct term? Are we humane by definition? Do we care, respect and love our co-habitants? Do we alleviate their suffering? Is 'Humanity' a human characteristic? I tend to disagree. Being cruel, uncaring, self-centered and dominating is the defining human characteristic. There are very few humans in the world that feel and do otherwise. They are the exceptions to the rule.

Thus the word humane in my dictionary would look like:

Humane (Adjective)

Lacking kindness, pity or compassion; cruel, deficient in emotional warmth, monstrous.

I have coined a new word to express this new insight.

Animane (Adjective)

characterized by kindness, mercy or compassion,as is the nature of animals (except humans)