What does it mean to be human?

Constant imperfection.

To deal with hell that comes your way.

To act in a way that we inhabit an area. Use up all of the resources and move on.

That we care more about the latest gadget than lasting relationships with family.

Sorry just bitter today.

In all living things there is a common instinct; survival. Animals live only to breed and pour their ‘essence’ into the gene pool to hope to improve the next generations. Animals leave behind their deformed or ‘albino’. Humans have risen above that, becoming by far the most dominant of creatures. The quality that is so highly valued in humans- humanity- spares unique individuals, those of different mind and body, the ‘albinos’, because we do not need to become anything greater in order to remain dominant. The very fact that we can question this system of living that forces us to desire sex so we can re-produce, hate that which we do not understand and feel the constant need to fit in with society for the good of the species makes us different from the rest of nature- even goes against it. Humans also have anti-nature traits such as guilt.

P.S I believe that choosing an embryo and genetic engineering at that level is not human- because by having this happen at an embryo level, we remove guilt which is one of the human traits that makes us different from the rest of nature.

P.P.S This is an excerpt from an essay I wrote on H.G Wells’ The Time Machine. I recommend you to read it and ask yourself: 100 years after The Time Machine was written, how much closer is society to the future that H. G. Wells predicted?

the ability to deny our own flaws

“I expect to pass this way but once-Therefore any good I can show, or any kind act I can accomplish, let me not differ nor neglect it. For I do not expect to pass this way again.”

The garantee that someday we will die.

We differ from animals in dwelling on our pasts and anticipating or fearing our future all the while ignoring or minimizing the present moment.

It is not clear that this in any way makes us superior beings.

The Hood Influence is the key here for me.

@PupnTaco The Hood Influence keeps me breathing easier at work!

Possessing the human genome.

And how could we forget so quickly susanc’s behavior modification?

Fool me once, shame on you, etc.

Thanks for the heads up! I can’t read every thread like I used to now that I am back to work.

You could try to define us based on physical and mental capabilities, i guess we have a unique communication system (language) and desire to help each other, develop technology to counter some things that natural selection would eventually eliminate, e.g. diseases. But I think it is ultimately the fact that we want to know who we are.
To be honest, in this world that is ever changing, it may not be possible to define who we are and set solid boundaries.

Using underarm deodorant.

thanks to all