The Human Road
Let us assume that Earth is about five billion years old and the first ancestors to modern-day Homo sapient emerged from the primordial swamp (so to speak) about three million years ago. Even extending the average human life span to a generous 100 years old, three million years is a long time. No wonder we think that Earth is ours, since we have been here so long. However, compared to the five-billion-year history of Earth, our three million is not so impressive, especially considering that it was only 50,000 years ago or so that we started using tools and exhibiting possibilities for becoming the dominant species on Earth that we are now.
Or are we now? There are two facts cited when humans are claimed to be the dominant species. One, we monopolize the highest percentage of Earth’s natural resources. Two, we are the most threatening species, capable of annihilating other species and destroying the Earth. Therefore, humans are the dominant species on Earth in much the same way as the biggest bully on the block gets that way due to his size. We might argue that humans are different or special because of our intellectual pursuits and cultural achievements, but truthfully, do you think that Earth would be less beautiful or harmonious without Mozart’s symphonies or Shakespeare’s sonnets?
If we were to recognize the right of first claim to the land, then Earth would belong to the ants and cockroaches before it did to us. Since they lived here longer than we have, instead of spraying insecticides whenever we spot them, we should be paying them rent. Dinosaurs, which disappeared abruptly from the face of the Earth about sixty-five million years ago, were the dominant species on Earth for 150 million years. Compared to their reign, the human reign hasn’t even started yet.
-Excerpts by Ilchi Lee
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