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from other species, even if we happened to be the only species that is capable of conducting abstract analytical reasoning. As discussed earlier, having a vision does. However, as we shall discover, having a unique personality may also prove to be as important as having a vision. We may share common features with other living forms but this is where the comparison should end. Members of every species strive to be a copy of the strongest and the fittest because the survival of every living form, except us, depends on being strong and fit. As humans we want to be strong and fit, there is no illusion about having this desire in all of us. But being fit requires the elimination of the weak members. Although some of us may feel comfortable subscribing to these natural tendencies, most of us find it repugnant to say the least. Most of us don’t have the stomach to kill or enslave others. Why? The answer is simple. We have emotions and feelings that permeate biology. In purely biological terms it makes every sense for everyone to be shaped in the image of the strongest and fittest, but when it comes to visionary planning, this type of thinking is short sighted. The reason we were able to dominate all other species is the result of our ability to be different and unique. Lions are strong; they hunt, eat and sleep. We are different. We may hunt, all of us eat and sleep, however, not all of us turn out to be hunters or warriors. Even at the dawn of civilization, there were tribes who preferred fishing to farming, others were satisfied with hunting, and food gathering was the choice of many. This diversity in living style can only be attributed to emotions- the forgotten element. Although scientists have recognized the important role of emotions, they have failed in describing the correct and critical role they play in our struggle to survive. According to them, emotions compel us to help others. The fact is we do not need this element to care for other members of our species. Instinct would suffice. Most living things exhibit no emotions, yet they are intuitively programmed to care for their offspring and instinctively prepared to help the species survive. Things are different with us. Even at the earliest stage of our survival, the overriding role of emotions was clearly different. After developing a powerful brain, we found ourselves in need of an element which would help us choose from all the options available - starting from choosing a mate to settling in certain place - in other word, help us quickly decide on matters relating to survival or non-survival. Furthermore, as we later were to realize, we also needed something to help us limit those choices and preferences. And this is what emotions, desires and yearnings are meant to do. Long before the development of a complex modern society, there were warriors, story tellers, painters, inventors, hunters, singers, musicians and the list goes on. Perhaps back then the importance of having such a wide and diverse preferences did not matter all that much. Today things are completely different. We know now that our modern and complex society could not even have existed if some of us did not have the desire to explore new frontiers and challenge the status quo along with rebelling against the leaders. It is obvious that if some of us did not have the inclination to become doctors; and others the desire to be mechanics; or a few to have the vocation to be teachers, or choose law or other careers, modern society would have never evolved to this level of sophistication. Let’s face it; no one can learn to be good at doing everything. Most of us can become proficient in one discipline such as medicine or law, rarely ever an individual succeeds in mustering more than one domain. Our mental capacity is limited. By taking a quick look at the list of courses offered by universities and colleges one can clearly realize how varied and diverse our interests are. And they range from the somber such as forensic science and pathology to the delightful such as decoration and beautification. At last count there were 60,000 different career opportunities that are taught at different university and colleges. It is this collection of varied brains that has transformed us into a powerful, resourceful, tenacious and resilient species. However, this collective knowledge of all these individuals would mean nothing had it not been for our ability to work together and trade ideas and knowledge. In this respect, interacting with others is not a choice, it is a compelling exercise. And there lies our real power as a super species. Logistically speaking, it would be impossible for one person to attain a brain power remotely close to the power of this network of brains; nevertheless, even if somehow someone that belongs to an unknown super species were to garner such a super brain, the need for interacting with others would still be essential for the species to survive. Still, the desire to be different does not end with learning unique skills and creating distinctive work. Take a look at the wide varieties in sport; there are hundreds if not thousands of different recreational activities to choose from. We even tend to be different at the time spent at leisure. Biologists would argue that the desire for physical exercise is not limited to the human species. Most animals spend some of their time doing some work out, for they know intuitively that by staying fit, they improve their chances of surviving. Some scientists may even find no difference between our desire to learn and that of other mammals. It has been recorded on several occasion that most predators spend a great deal of time and effort teaching their off springs the skills required for hunting and surviving. However, this is not what is at issue here. I am not arguing whether other living forms are intelligent or not, whether evolution as theory can be proven or not, what this essay is trying to establish is that our evolution as species could not have taken place on earth. The argument in this chapter is an attempt to proof that desires, longings, dreams, aspirations, emotions, sentiments and feelings do not only serve a crucial role in our survival, more importantly, they were acquired long before the first human appeared on this planet. I have argued in so far that without emotions our species would be no different than any other living forms that have showed signs of intelligence, yet hardly exhibited any emotions - let alone deep feelings toward anything. The benefits of this element are clear. Despite the fact that many of us tend to ridicule cultures that are highly emotional, we now see that emotions, feelings, sentiments and desires are necessary components in shaping our identity as humans. Moreover, they are essential for creating an advanced society. It is hard to fathom that without the desire to accomplish something, no one would aspire to become a doctor, an engineer or anything. Most achievers in life start their quest as a result of taking an early liking to something at a young age. Great directors were fascinated with a movie they saw or a play they read. Most writers tend to be inspired by other writers they have read. The majority of scientists are influenced by other factors that have nothing to do with pure science. The series Star Trek, for instance, has inspired several new high tech inventions- the cellular phone being one. Without this ability to choose, without a component to have a preference, it would be impossible for us to be selective about our interest and the things we aspire to learn. When we can’t focus we are unable to develop our limited mental capacity, for we don’t start to gain knowledge until we determine the area we like to explore. Our yearning to reach something worthy of accomplishment, our commitment to conquer something worthy of discovering and our intuitive devotion to the human cause, are the components that help us in choosing and focusing. Initially, our respective work may be clumsy, but eventually things get much better once we are given a chance to learn the technique and skills involved. If you ever played any sport you would know exactly what I am talking about. Tennis is a sport I picked up at the age of 34, for the first few weeks I did not find it to be enjoyable nor did my opponents and for a good reason. Who wants to play tennis with a rookie? Not until my game improved did I start to find pleasure playing the game- much to the relief of my friends. This is a process we go through at every level. Things always start small and boring until we learn enough to challenge others and create our own version at a level which we can be proud of. Without passion, without desire, we would n’t be able to endure the stress and rigor that are associated with learning and accomplishing. We succeed best when we put our heart and soul in our work. We excel when we take pride in our achievement.
Next time you encounter a person who knows too much, note how his or her mind wanders endlessly over every subject. Sadly I have friends who lack the ability of selecting and who have failed in life and business. I don’t know much about psychology, but I suspect that a lot of people who suffer emotionally can trace their malaise back to their inability to focus on the essential things in life and discard the frivolous and trivial. However, as with everything else, emotions have their downside as well. One may observe that the minute they were acquired, our species has condemned itself to pain and suffering. Along with this development we have evolved to recognize time. (More details on why we evolved to be intelligent and conscious will be provided later). No other species is known to recognize the emotional anguish and the psychological torture humans experience or inflict on others from time to time. By their
