Being Human

June 19, 2006

Just recently, my four year old nephew, Luke, told a lie. He was playing with his Dad’s celfone and accidentally dropped it down the stairs. When my brother, his Dad, saw the scrambled pieces of phone on the floor, my nephew quickly said: “Hanns did it”. Unfortunately for him, Hanns, his three-year old brother, was with my sister-in-law, watching T.V.

Luke’s typical day is spent with his Mom and brother. There are not many kids in their neighborhood, so, he’s not that exposed to other people his age. The programs that Luke and Hanns watch on T.V. are those on the Disney channel and Nickelodeon, so I doubt he copied lying from there. No one taught him that. He learned it on his own. He knows he’ll be scolded, and he wanted to save his own ass. His instinct took over. He lied. And that’s human nature.

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There have been a lot of things said about men coming from Mars, and women from Venus. That men and women think from extreme parts of a pole; that these two creatures seldom, if never, understand each other. But actually, comprehending how the other acts, or reacts, is not that difficult. You just have to think about … human nature.

People rely on their instincts when they do things. We depend on our nature.

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If your boyfriend cheats on you, not once, twice, but more times than you care to count, should you expect him to be faithful this time around? Nope. It’s in his nature to cheat. I’m not saying it’s in men’s nature to do so, I’m saying it’s in your boyfriend’s nature. A woman can cheat too, you know. If your girlfriend had series of flings while you’re still together, then you have to have your head examined if you think there’s no possibility of her doing it again. It’s in her nature.

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It takes a strong person to go against one’s nature. You need a lot of strength not to lie when your ass is on the line. It takes strong will not to flirt when you are one. You require determination to think about other people when you are selfish. It is difficult not to act in the way nature intended you to be.

Not that it is impossible. It’s just hard.

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Maybe this is what makes life interesting. We’re all human, after all. We have the same instincts; same needs; same primary reactions; same feelings. Still, seldom do we understand each other. We often cannot figure out where the other is coming from. Come to think of it, wouldn’t life be boring if there is no misunderstanding once in a while? … if we all get along, and know everything the other is thinking and feeling?

There wouldn’t be any spice if there are no tears. Our existence wouldn’t be colorful if we’re always smiling … laughing. Sometimes it’s good to get hurt. We need to be confused. We don’t have to understand everything.

We need some mystery, anyway.

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And now what am I doing? Just rationalizing things I don’t understand. I’m writing about something which makes no sense from the very beginning. I’m talking rubbish to anyone who would be bored enough to listen.

Oh well, I’m just human. I have this instinct to be stupid. It’s in my nature to bullshit.