Forget biology, I’m talking about something else here.
I believe that one of the main features of being a human is regret. Now don’t rush on ahead and think that this is a somber article weighing down at the “negative” side of the scale. By regret I am referring to the human ability to take an action and later on realize that it was in incorrect action to take.
This says a lot about us humans. It, first of all, explains that we have intiative. We can of our own free will make decisions. Unlike animals and other creatures that we co-habit on Earth, we humans base our decisions not solely on survival grounds. We are more complex beings and our choices can be a result of an array of endless reasons. We are a social and emotional creature.
For me, highlighting regret as one of the prominent features that distinguish us humans from animals is very important. It shows that our judgement are not objective, not solid, not permanent, not ever-lasting… and it shows that we are dynamic and ever changing.
Why do we regret? Why is it that we take a decision to later on regret it? Sure, I see some of you raise your hands eager to say “We regret if we do something expecting something… and that something doesn’t happen. Or something unexpected happens as a result of our action that has a negative impact on us directly or indirectly.” Smart answer. That is true.
But has it not ever happened that we you regretted something that happened when you wanted it to happen?
This is the regret I am talking about. The regret that does not entail a mismatch between original desired outcome of a certain action… but instead of regretting results that directly match our initial expectations.
For me that simply shows that we are human. To want something so bad… to see it happen… and to later realize you never wanted it in the first place. With animals that does not happen. Do not be fooled by the simplicity of what I am proposing here. Think about it… and it might ring your bells too.
To me, regret is one of the most pointless human emotions. I would rather reflect than regret. The deed is done, the action committed, the result realized..why regret? Reflect, learn, move on!
Regret makes us human?
I should think not..happiness, sadness, passion, joy, anxiety, nervousness, excitement..I’d like to think these are what make us human.
I think you missed my point. Not regret in itself. It is the fact that we have a tendency to make decisions that in retrospect down the road we may not like or wish we had not made / regardless of whether the outcome of those decisions was what we had expected in the first place. The fact that we are unpredictably dynamic.