WeareonlyhumanNobodyisacknowledgedtohavefreewillorresponsibilityanymore.Everyoneistheproductofcausation.Therearenolongerindividuals,justvictimsingroup.Youknowthefinalexcusethatreallygetsmyquiveringattention?It’swhencallersprotestthattheyare“onlyhuman”.ONLYhuman?Asifone’shumanitywereablueprintforinstinctive,reflexivereactionstosituations,liketherestoftheanimalkingdom.Iseebeing“human”astheuniqueopportunitytouseourmindandwilltoactinwaythatelevateusabovetheanimalkingdom.AperfectillustrationoftheseclashingdefinitionsofhumanityoccursintheclassicfilmTheAfricanQueen.HumphreyBogartasCharlie,thesolitarysailor,triestoinvokethe“onlyhuman”excusewhenheattemptstoexplainhispriordrunkeneveningbysayingthatis,afterall,onlyhumannature.KatharineHepburnasRosie,themissionary,peersoverherbibleandaptlyretorts,“Weareputontheearthtoriseabovenature.”Anditislargelywith3C’sthatweaccomplishthat.The3C’sareCharacter,Courage,andConscience,withoutwhichwearemerelygiganticantsinstinctivelyfillingoutourbiologicallydetermineddestiny.Whilenatureselectiondidshapeourmindsandfeelings,thereissomethingextraspecialaboutthehumanmindleadsustobeable,ifnotalwayswilling,totaketheextrasteppastsomeactionthatmakessenseononlythebasisof“survivalofthefittest”or“survivaloftheme.”Nodoubtaboutit,self-advancementandself-indulgencearetwopowerfulinnatedrivesforpersonalstatusandpleasure.Eventhemotivationforseeminglyaltruisticbehaviorscanbefoundincommonsenseof“IhelpyoubecauseIcanexpectsomereciprocalbenefitsinthefuture.”Humansaresocialanimals;thereforeweallrelyonthekindnessofkinforsurvivaltosomeextent.Yet,ifallgivingissimplymotivatedbytheexpectationofeventuallygetting,wheredoesourspecial“humanness”comesin?Righthere!Humanbeingscanactuallyderivepleasureintheeveryactofresistingtemptations.Also,itisprofoundlysatisfyingtoforgoimmediatepleasuresandbenefitanotherpersonatsomeexpenseoftheself,evenifnooneelseknowsyou’vedoneit,eliminatingtheinvestmentconceptofreciprocalaltruismandrestoringcharactertoitsrightfulplaceinourlives.Character:TheF