By Anonymous, Submitted via email.

As soon as the question of, “What is the most intelligent species on our planet,” surfaces, one would generally assume the answer is simple, blurting out human-beings as their definite answer.

Intelligence is merely defined as, “the ability to acquire and apply knowledge and skills.” So yes, humans, indeed, possess this characteristic, solely exercising it to benefit for their personal gains. But it is essential to address this notion, and ultimately re-evaluate our understanding of intelligence.

The time has come to integrate the essence of consciousness into the definition of intelligence, because right now with our current depth of understanding this term, intelligence is merely a fragment of what is essential to the survival of both our planet and the human race.

Although we are similar to all other species in respect to competition for resources, like each plant competes to gain an abundance of sunlight, we have also dramatically differentiated ourselves in the sense of applying our full spectrum of emotions and negative tendencies in order to be better off then our neighbor.

The difference between humans and other species is that we have fundamentally dismissed our interrelated nature, and that factor alone has allowed all other species to flourish on this planet, while we continuously struggle in crisis and turmoil that has thrown us off the course of our evolution as a race.

In reality, we are no different than all living organisms. What is different is our intentions. We go to war over abstract concepts that have to be explained to us through history books, although it is merely just cyclical reasoning which we surrender to accept. Chimpanzees, Hyenas, Wolves, ants and other social insects wage war too, usually for territorial purposes.

The difference is that our wars are solely driven for the purpose of profit, and that our wars impact the rest of humanity in an unprecedented level.

On the quest for profit or whatever motive they disguise it as, we physically destroy the planet on the way, rid it of it’s resources to exploit them in an unsustainable manner, as well as psychologically destruct those who witness and participate the atrocities of war, and nevertheless, imbed the essence of fear into the eyes of the spectator witnessing it from the television. I’d think it’s safe to say that the rest of the animal kingdom doesn’t scale up to that.

Another aspect that I’d like to bring attention to is that our current societal framework encourages us to perceive life through a heightened egotist lens. This lens, however, allows us to accept judgmental and discriminatory characteristics as normal habitual practices, although in reality, it is a tool of separation and internal genocide.

Although animals evidently exhibit tribalism, that may be the furthest extent of separation that exists amongst them.

For example, studies have demonstrated that, just like humans, over 11 animals, including, African Lions, Bottlenose Dolphins and Giraffes practice same-sex alliances and may have the same partner for their whole life. It is imperative to adopt the aspect of acceptance in our lives as first nature and apply it to all circumstances alike, as in our current state; it is disregarded as a priority and something that we should embrace.

Each species is equipped with those members that seem to improve or alter the evolutionary path, whether it’s Darwin’s recognized Finch species which adapted a new means of attaining nourishment and taught the rest of the species to adapt to new methods, or in our lives, an artist who one can relate to on such a profound and personal level.

The difference is that our society amplifies the status of certain individuals, for instance celebrities, and places them on such a high pedestal that each member of society feel the need to be recognized for fame rather than themselves.

The separation the media projects upon us enforces this unrealistic and superficial need, as it may make us feel like we will never be something unless your names on the tabloids. Animals, on the other hand, act out of instinct and intuition, and do not seek appraisal or recognition from other members of their species.

When it comes to love, “we deserve the love we think we deserve,” a quote taken from the film, “The Perks of Being a Wallflower,” has many applications in our societal structure. Animals demonstrate loyalty and commitment. They demonstrate their appreciation of love and are living proof that unconditional love still ceases to exist.

For example, when an elephant’s lover dies, it will mourn, becomes depressed, and will purposefully starve to death, failing to neglect their emotions as we do. We tend to settle for anyone nowadays, in order to eradicate the component of loneliness in our lives, although it may exactly what you may need for your soul’s evolutionary path.

It’s time to re-evaluate what we, as the human race, accept as normal, “for what is normal to the spider is chaos for the fly.” I believe that we live this weaved web, merely born onto it as each of us has accepted the mere safety and comfort that the spider’s woven silk offers to each and every one of us. It’s time to dismantle ourselves from this web as there is power in numbers.