In the tradition of philosophy, the biggest difference between men and animals is that men have the ability to reason. Animals behave instinctively while human beings rationalize. A larger brain and the tendency to deliberate before choosing a course of action give human beings an enormous advantage over their fellow creatures.
But it turns out that humans are only rational once in a while. They can agree on empirical data when they are detached from it. They accept facts only when their emotions are in check.
When something or someone evokes passion human reason gives way to bias and prejudice in record time. Human beings are incapable of being reasonable whenever it counts the most.
In matters of religion, politics and love, human beings have always behaved irrationally. Here history shows that many individuals have taken advantage of others just because they can.
Consider the hundreds of people throughout history that have claimed to be divine. How many millions have followed them, despite the lack of objective evidence? I marvel at Japan’s Emperor Hirohito who in 1947, after a crushing defeat at the hands of the Americans, went on national radio to admit that he wasn’t a god after all. It took nuclear warheads for the Japanese to accept the obvious.
Consider too the thousands of political leaders on our planet who continue to lead others astray. Promises of a high standard of living, progress and enlightenment —even glory— invariably lead to bloodshed and destruction. Yet people follow blindly because they see virtue where none actually exists.
Perhaps our greatest delusions are the ones reserved for love and romance. Here millions suffer because they do not —cannot— accept the truth about someone else. A lover continues to accept an abusive partner because she is convinced he will soon change. Another believes that someone still has feelings for him in spite of her repeated claims to the contrary.
Why can’t we accept facts just as they are?
People show us who they really are by their language and behaviour. When they do, we should believe them. Period. We should not ascribe to them qualities and virtues that have not been duly demonstrated.
It should be that simple.
Unfortunately, human beings are generally poor scientists. For most of us, raw data holds little significance. We like it that everything and everyone can be repeatedly held up for interpretation. We pride ourselves in knowing better and seeing further than our less intelligent peers.
Inexplicably, and at great personal cost, we willingly abandon our ability to reason in favour of the unlikely and the fantastical. I wonder if the animals take note and laugh at us.