Follante 1

Aubrey Follante
Mrs. Mazujian
Dual Enrollment
30 October 2015
An Advanced Breed of Monkeys
What really makes us humans? Dictionary.com and Merriam-Webster define
humanity as the human race, the branches of learning that investigate human
constructs, and being kind to other people and animals. For all of time, humanity
has been known as a symbol of benevolence, one including the creation of new arts
and innovations, the kindness toward those who have less, and the strength that has
allowed us to endure thousands of years, but humanity is much more than that. We
generally see humanity as all the positive characteristics that have surrounded our
existence, but being truly human is having both the respectable and the unpleasant
qualities that distinguish us as a species.
Humanity includes all those qualities that are generalized- the paintings,
writings, music, technology, building, arts, poetry, selflessness, and kindness. We as
humans have built an empire, from the ancient Pyramids of Giza to the Empire State
building. The numerous arts, like Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet, Beethovens
numerous symphonies, or even the Bible have survived centuries. Clips and
pictures of random acts of kindness are popular on the internet: soldiers giving their
lives for freedom, people giving free hugs, homeless shelters, and children raising
money to fight cancer, all with different variations of the same caption, faith in

Follante 2
humanity restored. As a species, its very important to have that faith. Belief in
humanity spawns hope, creativity, resolution to world problems (poverty, hunger,
housing, energy crisis), and innovation. Humanity is contagious; we are a species of
sympathy. If we can believe in the virtue within ourselves, we can continue that
virtue, and thrive.
Our ability to thrive stems not only from sympathy, but also from
intelligence. Stephen Hawking once said, We are just an advanced breed of
monkeys on a minor planet of a very average star. But we can understand the
Universe. That makes us something very special. Humans, unlike any other animal,
think abstractly. We have created time, math, freedom, and rights. We can paint,
draw, sing, and build because we are developed in an exceptional way. We reason.
We analyze text, situations, and the world around us to understand deeper meaning.
We debate and listen, rationalizing the most correct answer, or even understanding
that maybe there isnt one. Being human doesnt mean thinking smarter, it means
thinking differently.
Being a human consists of many beautiful attributes I have described above,
but much like discussing a war without fighting, its ineffective to talk about
humanity without all that it encompasses, including the sad and brutal details.
Humanity may mean having emotions like love and compassion, but it also means
having guilt and being selfish. It means kissing the wrong person, lying, being rude,
and doing the wrong thing every once in a while. It means getting hurt. Humanity is
crying because of a movie or getting embarrassed from something as simple as

Follante 3
tripping. Being human is being wrong. Humanity is America advertising freedom
and keeping slaves. Its wanting world peace and being constantly at war.
Humanity is starting wars over one stolen love, destroying the environment, killing
off entire species of animals, and genocide. Humanity is one country gorging while
another starves. Humans may fix, but they destroy. Other animals take only what
they need to survive- they hunt for food, not for sport. They dont pollute the air and
un-balance nature. Humanity is having flaws and being our own enemy. Thus,
humanity is not what makes us superior, but what makes us distinctive.
Whenever I hear someone say they have faith in humanity, I dont think
solely of benevolence or sacrifice. Instead I think of the wonderful features of
humanity and the awful mistakes. We are just animals, monkeys, but our humanity
makes us different. We are complex, rational, irrational, contradictory, and
emotional. We recognize our mistakes, saying, Im only human. Most importantly,
as humans we grow. Humans self-reflect and re-teach what we know. Humanity is
flexibility, modification: doing the wrong thing and having a change of heart. We are
simply advanced monkeys that make mistakes, recognize them, and learn from
them, hoping that maybe someday our grandchildren wont make the same ones.

Aubrey, I thoroughly enjoyed your essay! I find myself nodding my head and actually
saying "yes" as I read it! I think you have tackled a dicult concept with aplomb! I loved
your opening, all of your paragraphs connected to your thesis and your transitions were
quite eective. I do think your thesis itself could have been a little more specific to hint at
what you would discuss later (particularly the "unpleasant" side of humanity). There were
a few errors and awkward word choices I would fix, but other than that, I thought this
was eective, thought provoking, and original! Another job well done!

Grade- 99