Why are humans the scum of the earth?

Question

We push all creatures into extinction, destroy the environment, selfish, barely help our neighbors, and worry too much about petty problems...

Answer 1

Because we are the only one with brains and then to use it against everything that walks, flies or crawl on Earth. Animals just kill for instinct and for eating and at the same time that keeps a ecological balance. But we are very different, some people kill just because they want to see somebody to jump. Men kills animals for their beautiful fur and then wear it. Even though some people make fun of you here, you have a point. Put it this way, we are not the scum, but we are the most formidable PREDATOR that ever walked on this planet, sounds better and it is the true. But don't lose your hope that one day the mankind are going to do something for the world that surround us.

Answer 2

we come, we see, we conquer. We as a species will do what it takes to survive and be "happy". And there are people that help other people. People that sacrifice themselves so that others can live but our lives are busy and fast paced and other people can be forgotten or pushed to the back of our minds.

We push other creatures into extinction because of selfish and amoral reasons but we also bring creatures back from almost being extinct and people are beginning to realize that the environment really needs some help. Especially with the changing weather patterns.

We worry about petty problems because it is a lot easier than thinking about the big ones and if we think about them we might be in some way obligated to deal with them and then we would feel lots of guilt. Not that everyone feels this way but some people do. Others are really big on the big problems but not about doing things about them. Any ways we aren't scum we are human. What else can we be?

Answer 3

It has only been about 60 years that mankind sees it can destroy the Earth. Before cars and airplanes, people felt small and insignificant, and the popluation of Earth didn't seem great enough to do damage. When China, for instance, was so far away you couldn't possibly imagine it clearly, you couldn't believe throwing your garbage out on the street would do serious damage. So it just didn't seem possible to destroy the Earth. But now we all SEE what we are doing. It is almost too late to save Mother Earth. But maybe we'll stop fighting and behaving selfishly and band together to start re-Greening the planet.

Answer 4

Don't use the word "we" in this context if you want to refer to "mankind." And no "we" do not "push all creatures into extinction", "we" do not destroy the enviroment, and "we" are not selfish nor do "we" worry about petty problems. When you used the word we, think about the children in Africa who may never even get a middle school education. Think of the Kurds in Turkey, who may never be allowed to learn or speak their mother language, think of the Africans in Sudan as the Janjaweed burn them out of house and home. What did THEY do? And if you never knew (though I doubt it, you probably just didn't regard it very much) over 98% of everything that has ever lived has gone extinct. Most of that 98% became extinct even before the Homo Sapien Sapiens existed. As for the selfish thing, that's probably only you worrying about the high cost of living when it's probably the cost of high living.

Answer 5

Because we are the only creatures on the Earth with a complex of a mind to make choices. Animals act completely on instinct. Sometimes humans make the right choice, but sometimes they make the wrong one.

Answer 6

Because the Bible says we are:

"when we are slandered, we answer kindly. Up to this moment we have become the scum of the earth, the refuse of the world."
(1 Corinthians 4:13)

Answer 7

I have always felt that if one wants heaven on earth, one has to begin by exemplifying a resident of heaven. This means, being noble in one's judgments. With regards to how one evaluates human beings, one must learn to "sort the chaff from the wheat". This means one must learn to see beings in terms of the divine potential they possess, rather than obsessing over their faults. Honey bees are attracted to aromatic flowers, while flies flock in groves to feces.

Perhaps we need to take a closer look. It may in fact be an extreme minority who are producing the worst by-products as you have mentioned above. According to Nietzsche, a few deceitful men can eventually outwit millions of honest, straightforward, simple people, because the millions are naturally trusting and good-natured.

Anyways, just a thought.

Answer 8

Because we are an arrogant species and think we are more important than anyone on the planet and assume we can't be killed off like any other frail little earth being also many people don't understand that their actions have consequences beyond 2 minutes ahead

Answer 9

Because we think we're the most intelligent living creatures in the world so what we're doing is right and is for the benefit of all and we have the capabilities to achieve what is beyond reach so we should do it but in truth, maybe we're also the most naive?

Answer 10

Wow. You got a lot of answers. God made the Earth for people to care for and use wisely. We are still figuring it out, that's all. It isn't the end of the world, yet. Try looking at all the good things. Best wishes.