Sometimes when I talk about how I don’t eat meat or avoid leather people will comment

Josh, you know animals aren’t people. If you think they’re at the same level as us, you’re missing something.

They’re implying we’re more advanced than animals.

I respond

I’m not elevating them to a higher level. I’m not that impressed with us.

I find thinking about us as animals gives me more insight to people and our behavior than considering us above other animals. Yes, I switch topics from eating habits to psychology. Sure, we have frontal lobes, thumbs, a few other unique traits, and what they bring, but every other animal has its unique things too.

If I look at our special features not as better but just our things, they don’t distract me as much from seeing us as more predictable. It makes us seem less glamorous, but more understandable.

• ← Schopenhauer on the consistency and reliability of our emotional systems
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