Wordless Wednesday: Are We Human or Beast?

Eleanor Roosevelt, Harmony, Labrador Park, Peace Quotation, Picture/Photos, Reflection, Singapore, Sony Ericsson Cyber-shot Camera Phone, Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday: Are We Human or Beast?

bk
July 1, 2009

Labrador Park's Machine Gun Post
Gunner
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“It isn’t enough to talk about peace, one must believe it. And it isn’t enough to to believe in it, one must work for it.” – Eleanor Roosevelt

I was at Labrador Park, Singapore, a few weeks ago. It was like taking a walk in history. I took these shots with the Sony Ericsson Cyber-shot camera phone with sepia effect, to give it a little historical feel. The first shot was that of a machine gun post set up to protect 12-pounder guns on the hill right above it and the second shot was that of a gun.

Reading the title of this post, what came into your mind? I must be kidding? How can Human be beast? From Charles Darwin’s Theory of Evolution, he theorized that humans were derived from apes. So that make us beast?

We have indeed come a long way. We have tried controlling our environment, which once (still is) fed and provided natural resources in abundance for us. We have created weapons capable of massive destruction. We have grown intellectually and yet emotionally ever ready to jump and to destroy each other at the slightest provocation.

The World Without UsPerhaps, all that wouldn’t justify us as beast? Recently, I picked up an interesting book ‘The World Without Us’ by Alan Weisman from the library. Alan questions: How would the world change if human beings vanished from the earth right now, for good? What would the planet be like in a day, a week, a month … a millennium?

In the book, it is mentioned that we genetically most resemble the chimpanzees. Dr. Michael Wilson who does field research at Gombe Stream, Tanzania, observed chimpanzees in wild tearing apart and devouring red colobus monkeys. They are superb hunter, about 80% of their attempts are successful kills. Comparing to lions, it is only about one out of 10 or 20.

Dr. Michael Wilson also observed something sad and kind of depressing. Chimpanzees were seen stealing into the territories of neighboring chimp groups, ambushed unwary lone males, and maul them to death.

In the book (observed by Dr. Michael Wilson), “… He watched chimps over months patiently pick off males of neighboring clans until the territory and the females are theirs. He also seen pitched chimpanzee combat, and blood battles within a group to determine who is the alpha male.” Do you see the resembles in human aggression and power struggles?

When I was reading that passage, I couldn’t help but felt deeply how human has acted in the same way. We may have evolved to become a superior primate but some of us may not have renounced ‘the beast’ within yet. Fortunately, I believe that majority of the people have not only evolved intellectually but also emotionally.

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37 thoughts on “Wordless Wednesday: Are We Human or Beast?”

    1. Symphony of Love Post author

      @ Katherine, I guess set up like this are pretty common in different countries. Thus, if I did not mention where I took the picture. Most wouldn’t know. 🙂

      @ AD, 🙂

      @ Becki, they were taken at Labrador Park in Singapore. 🙂

  4. Politicus

    First of all, these are very nice photos and a really interesting monument to a very nasty time in history.

    I’m glad that some of these features have been preserved throughout the world, to remind us what has transpired.

    Speaking of humans, chimpanzees and evolution, I believe that only humans and domestic cats kill for the sheer pleasure of it.
    .-= Politicus´s last blog ..Cap and Trade Climate Bill – Inadequate, Basically Wrong =-.

    1. Symphony of Love Post author

      @ Politicus, you are right; these features can serve as a reminder of the very nasty time in history. Killing for sheer pleasure … I wouldn’t even want to think of it. How could anyone even have that idea?

    1. Symphony of Love Post author

      @ Matthew, thank you.

      @ Chelle, thank you. We are evolved from beast. 🙂

      @ Deb, I do hope these photos can give readers something to ponder and to reflect on. Thank you for dropping by.

      @ Sue, it is definitely a good thing that most evolved beyond the beast within.

      @ Crafty Mom, yes fortunately.

      @ Stephanie, thank you.

      @ Homemom3, right, advanced apes. 😉

  11. Sue

    Great pics, and I agree that thankfully most of us have evolved beyond the beast. Thanks so much for visiting my blogs and happy belated WW 🙂
    .-= Sue´s last blog ..Massey Mausoleum =-.

  14. homemom3

    I love how you made the picture look old, honestly I thought it was a shot taken from younger days. Happy WW! I agree, we are nothing but advanced apes….errr evolved that is.

  16. Marlene

    With the sepia effect, the photos looked like it was taken a very long time ago and it justifies the history behind the photos.

    1. Symphony of Love Post author

      @ Marlene, technology really could help us to play around with time especially with photos. 🙂

      @ The Huntress, thank you for your kind words.

      @ Tell Me Thursday, I have come across sites playing that and it is an interesting idea. I am always tempted to disclose the story even in WW, although it is supposed to be wordless, because I feel that it add a bit of information for readers who want to find out more about the photos. Like many others who are participating in WW, sometimes I went to others participants’ sites and saw some great photos, but there were always question marks; I wanted to read more about the photos. Many thanks for the invitation. It is truly my honor.

      @ Karen, war is definitely horrid, in fact it is way beyond horrid and the damages are unimaginable and extensive; it goes beyond the environment and human.

      @ Dawn, I got it. Thank you and have a great weekend.

      @ tigerfish, it was definitely an educational trip. 🙂

  17. The Huntress

    Wow! Great photos and interesting story that goes along with them. Thanks for visiting our website and commenting, otherwise I would have missed this great post of yours!

  25. Robin from Israel

    Sadly, I fear the humans often act even worse than beasts. At least animals are simply following their instincts and acting as they were meant to, without the capacity to do differently. Humans choose their evil.
    .-= Robin from Israel´s last blog ..Old City Window redux =-.

  27. Symphony of Love Post author

    @ Robin, this was my very first thought, “Human is even worst than beast” some times. We have the capacity to choose to a large extent.

    @ Gloria, thank you.