could the human race be classified as a VIRUS?

Question

if the earth is a living being then is the humans living on earth destroying it like a disease destroys the body?

Answer 1

Not by anyone with any sense...

Answer 2

I see your point. It could be classified as a virus if you are using it as a metaphor. So to answer your question, man is not a virus in the scientific sense but definitely could be a virus if you are writing a poem or an essay. I'd love to read something like that, so keep me posted.
Like a virus, we infect, we spread, we keep the host barely alive so that we can propagate. We provide no natural resources of our own, but simply use the resources of the host. Eventually the host will die -- but there's the difference, and an important difference-- mankind will no longer be able to find another host (unless we've mastered space travel to another planet.) That's why viruses that kill their host too quickly do not spread very quickly or very far (cf. Ebola Virus), but those that keep their host alive (at least for some time) are very widespread (cf. common cold, flu, AIDS). What we need is a vaccine... some environmental legislation, energy conservation, more energy research ... to prevent the earth from being completely decimated.

Answer 3

Actually, it is the reverse. Humans are antibodies, the leukocytes (white blood cells) of the planet.

Humanity's reign excludes other possibly more dangerous lifeforms from the planet (plants don't over grow and animals don't over graze and overpopulate).The Human race also act like a circulation force for the planet with our constant cycling of resources (keep the planet healthy by staying away from a lethargic state of equilibrium).

As we speak, humanity is pushing Earth to another great climate change (Global Warming from excessive exhaust and resource depletion) and builds a protective barrier too (the orbit is clogged with satellites and space debris).

In other words, we keep Earth on its toes, you know, good excercise for the planet.

Answer 4

well there is a theory that every 2000 year a dominant species comes along and destroys the world. look at humans... we are doing that exact thing. if the earth is completely destroyed, then the theory says that the entire world will restart and eventually another species will come along and destroy the world. so according to that theory, yes.

Answer 5

No Humans are the earth's children...Any metaphors you can deduce from that comparison are probably more apppropriate.

Answer 6

They could be better classified as a parasite.

Answer 7

No. BUT, Braindead environmentals are virii..

Answer 8

Only in "The Matrix"