Exploitation – More Like Humane

Every morning, noisy yellow-billed babblers invade our front yard. They are everywhere. Sometimes I have to stop my work for the sake of their peaceful food-seeking. 

Today they have brought a teeny little babbler baby for his first walk (I mean flight). Five or six birds accompanied him. one always stayed on guard, while others brought food. Then another one came to exchange positions. I could not distinguish the parents. They all devoted themselves to cheer him up, to feed him and to protect him. A pure understanding of collective responsibility. They were dedicated to their offspring, their future generation.

Humans also bother about their offspring. They always try to be with them. Sometimes, it is difficult when parents attend distant workplaces.

One such mother faithfully handed over her little daughter Sara to her neighbourhood friend, whose daughter Katie was also in the same class. She worked at an office nearby. So, she could collect both of them after school. Sara was good at her studies. Once, she received a set of good books as encouragement. Katie also has received a gift but not good as Sara’s. While bringing her home, Katie’s mum swapped gifts in their school bags. She was doing such things for a long time. She was swindling whatever Sara received. A human behaviour!

The meaning of the "human" has been given in Cambridge English Dictionary as "being opposed to animals."  I agree. I didn’t see any big babbler snatching that little one’s food from him. Instead, they all collectively fed him.

In the animal kingdom, “survival” is the primary. Aggression and dominance are obvious.

What about exploitation?

In 1964 a group of researchers at Northwestern University taught a sample of rhesus monkeys how to get a food pellet at the pull of a chain. For three days, it went on well. On the fourth day, scientists have programmed the chain to release a high-frequency electric shock to the monkey next chamber at the pull. That was made visible to the monkey who pulled the chain. When they noticed this - a painful shock to another monkey when they get food – 87% of monkeys rejected to pull the chain. That went on even for six or seven days. They have selected starvation rather than harming one of them to get food. Exploitation rejected!

In my organization, we have to earn our performance bonus. As ladies, it was somewhat difficult for us to visit institutions to market our products. Actually, in our families, females were not sent out like that. Despite that, we went to many institutions and canvassed a lot of customers. Though I was uncertain about receiving the due compensation (because our manager had the final confirmation in reporting our performance) my friend was confident about a big bonus. She was expecting a good grading. But, what our manager did was, gave all that credit to one of his friends as he has done it, and gave him an "A" grade, while we received "C" (lower) grades. My friend was so heartbroken, was mourning at my desk throughout the day. She was collecting every penny for her children’s education. I had to hold back my temptations to point out the unjust because I knew my logic not going to matter in his dirty domain. (Don't blame me, it was hell. I was fighting for many more than that). I could not understand how that co-worker accepted someone else’s hard-earned credit as his.

I have seen this type of exploitation everywhere, every time, among humans.

I thought those monkeys were better behaved.

Things humans do are “humane”. It is defined as a higher-level character. Humane is defined as compassionate, civilized behaviour. In my opinion, exploitation is more like humane. It is everywhere among humans. 

We are not even close to compassion compared to animals.

Shame on us!

1 : Humanity defined by humans!

2 : We have more to learn from animals

3 : Brainy doesn't mean nobility

Tags: humane, humanity, exploitation, empathy, devotion, true face of humanity,