On Being Human

By Marvin Druger  |  mdruger@syr.edu

 

Life is strange in many ways. Because humans are conscious creatures, we can remember the past and plan the future. We can react to our environment in many different contexts. We can laugh at a funny story or we can respond to a sad event by crying.

Because every human is unique, we react to different situations differently. Even identical twins that have the same genotype are not exactly the same. We are the products of interactions between our genotype and the environments we encounter throughout our lives.

Despite having the same genes, one identical twin may be taller, thinner, more intelligent and may have very different opinions about things.

I have learned to respect and admire the unique talents of every individual. I have learned that nobody is better than anyone else. Each individual is important and talented in some way. Some individuals are more fortunate than others and use their unique talents. Others who are less fortunate never identify or use their special talents or they use them in negative ways. I think of the notorious gangster Al Capone. I don’t think he lacked intelligence, but he used his talents in undesirable ways.

I had an interview program on WAER- FM 88.3 called Druger’s Zoo for many years. I generally interviewed a variety of everyday people in different careers and we talked about their lives. I once interviewed Professor Isidor Rabi, a Nobel Prize physicist at Columbia University.

I asked, “Why does the National Science Foundation fund programs for talented science students. These students are so bright that they will do well anyhow. Isn’t this funding a waste of money?” Rabi responded, “No. If NSF didn’t fund such programs, these bright youngsters could become bright gangsters instead of bright scientists.”

Good point.

Teachers should provide a creative, motivational, learning environment and experiences that enable students to identify and nurture their unique talents. I have tried to do that in my long teaching career at Syracuse University.

I served in many leadership roles as a biologist and as a science educator. I was the chair and the secretary of the education section of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. This organization is the largest multidisciplinary organization of scientists in the world.

The organization has 24 sections in different scientific disciplines. The anthropology section of AAAS formulated a resolution that argued that “Humans are by nature warlike.” This resolution was circulated among sections for their approval before releasing it to the public. AAAS resolutions can have a significant impact on the public and on the scientific world. The resolution was rejected by the sections. My guess is that the sections believed if humans are by nature warlike, there is little hope for the future.

At the time, I paid little attention to this resolution. Now I am more aware of it and I even am thinking that it may be a true portrayal of humans. Wars have existed among humans throughout the history of humankind, perhaps culminating in World War II.

Even now, as I write this article, there are many wars in the world. I am beginning to think that, perhaps, humans are by nature warlike. Like other animals, we instinctively seek self-preservation. We are not born with hatred or prejudice. We learn these things as we interact with others in our environment. Fortunately, humans also learn kindness, caring and love. So, there may be hope for the future of humankind.

Humans live in organized social groups and there are usually some humans one who become the leaders of such groups. These leaders may have special talents, such as speaking ability and personal charisma that are appealing to others. Some leaders (i.e., Hitler) seek to conquer other populations and view themselves as messiahs. Skillful propaganda can promote hatred and prejudice against others. Does any human really want to fight in a war? Doesn’t every human want to live a peaceful life?

I recall how much we hated the “Nazis” and the “Japs.” Millions of individuals were lost in World War II. Now, the U.S. is best friends with Germany and Japan. This is the usual outcome of wars. If this is the case, why have wars in the first place? Since hatred and prejudice are learned, why can’t we learn how to get along with one another?

Here is a fictitious poem that I wrote about what it must be like the day battle:

The Day Before the Battle

I await the unknown,

Fearful thoughts appear,

Some persist and others slip away,

Is there a ray of sunshine,

Or is darkness inevitable?

The unknown is worse than the known,

I imagine the battle,

Blood will flow on both sides,

Brother killing brother,

Emotions overshadowing reason,

Tomorrow I will be part of the play,

My mind can tell the sane from the insane,

But I am bound by politics and honor

And forced hatred and learned prejudice,

There will be no victory for either side,

I will be immersed in a cauldron of fire,

But I will not let the fire destroy me,

The flames will go out

Eventually.

Wernher von Braun, the famous rocket scientist, was a member of the Nazi party and a member of the notorious SS. Yet, at the end of World War II, while former Nazis were being tried for war crimes, von Braun was recruited by the U.S. to help develop rocketry and space exploration. His scientific talent was put to use by the U.S. instead of Germany.

Humans are very complex. The human body is made of remarkable organs that seem miraculous in their functions. A human may have spectacular fitness, but eventually the body will age and the individual organs will stop functioning. Ten out of 10 people will eventually die, so the risk is very high and the risk increases as we age. It’s strange and fascinating that even the most talented individuals will die.

Nobody has been able to adequately explain aging and death. I appreciate people with deep religious beliefs, since religion helps cope with death, but does not really explain it.

I used to step on ants in the street. Now, I just watch them. Like humans, each ant is unique and has a right to live a peaceful life. Every living creature eventually dies, so why should I interfere with their brief lives?

The same is true for humans. We are here on earth for a relatively brief time and we need to make the most of it. We should identify and use our unique talents and try to contribute to survival of life on Earth. Each of us can make a difference in a peaceful manner. Let’s do it!