Throughout the course, we have been learning how to communicate better with another person through verbal and non-verbal means. But probing deeper, I asked myself why do we need to learn all these? Is it to bring out the best of ourselves? Is it to avoid misunderstanding? Or is there even a need to learn to communicate better?
Personally, I feel that human language is highly sophisticated as we are able to express ourselves in infinite ways by just using a few words or gestures. On the contrary, animal communicates using a set of responses due to stimuli. In animal systems, each signal has one and only one function. More than one sign cannot share the same meaning. For example,
Personally, I feel that human language is highly sophisticated as we are able to express ourselves in infinite ways by just using a few words or gestures. On the contrary, animal communicates using a set of responses due to stimuli. In animal systems, each signal has one and only one function. More than one sign cannot share the same meaning. For example,
Bees dance when they have found nectar.
Elephants show affection by entwining their trunks.
Gorillas stick out their tongues to show anger.
Horses rub noses as a sign of affection.
Unlike animals, humans can lie. They can use language to distort the world around them. Animal communication is based on a limited inventory of signs. If you learn the set of signals and their meaning then you know the system completely; there is no creativity for extending it further. This is not the case with human language. If you were to learn the entire set of words in any human language, you would still not know the language.
We can say that the signs of animal communication are more like inborn and involuntary human reactions such as laughter and sneezing than they are like human language.
We know humans have always had laughter and tears as natural inborn responses. Children develop them naturally and they don't change from generation to generation even though we can use these responses deliberately or to suppress our naturally-felt urges to express them.
We know humans have always had laughter and tears as natural inborn responses. Children develop them naturally and they don't change from generation to generation even though we can use these responses deliberately or to suppress our naturally-felt urges to express them.
Comparing both, the animal communication system is much simpler to comprehend. With that, don’t you think the world will be a better place to be in if the human communication is as direct and honest as what the animals do?
Hi Johny,
ReplyDeleteI do agree with you that animal communication is much simpler and honest. I have a domestic pet dog at home, and indeed, he does not lie about his feelings. I can tell whether if he is happy, sad or angry by his actions.
However, as much as I wish that the human world can have such direct and honest communication, it can never happen. Imagine everyone communicate in a direct and honest manner. Professions such as insurance agents, businessman, sales executives will be irrelevant and there will be more people getting unemployed. In addition, there will be no cheats.
Thus, homo sapiens are classified as the most intelligent animal and occupies the highest level of the food chain because they communicate in a complex manner and also dishonest manner at times.
Ji Fang
Hi johny,
ReplyDeleteAlthough I agree it is easier to communicate if everyone bare their true feelings and communicate in a direct manner, I disagree that animal communication is the perfect one.
The innate ability of humans to control and manage their feelings is a good thing as compared to animals. In terms of anger managemnet, if we were to choose to react like animals, there will be endless fights in the world.
While animals appear to show simple communication methods that are easy to comprehend, they are nonetheless scheming to get the things they want. For example, wolves hunt in packs and prey on the weak ,old, sick animals whenever the opportunities arise.
Lastly, I think human and animals have a complex set of feelings which is expressed differntly. Human by use of words and gestures, animals by their own unique methods.
Hi Johny,
ReplyDeleteYour topic is really interesting and made me ponder over the meaning of human communication.
Evolution has changed the world and favoured the natural selection of mankind. We evolved to be able to think and probably communicate more effectively than the other living organisms on Earth.
However, we still do not understand animal communication well enough to conclude that animal communication is less sophisticated than human communication. Perhaps, evolution has also made animal communication become more sophiscated as ever.
However, if mankind were to remain like how primates communicate, maybe we will not be as successful as we are today.
Nonetheless, human do still show "direct" feelings like laughing and crying when they are happy or upset. So, do you still think that it would be nice "if the human communication is as direct and honest as what the animals do"?
(:
Hi Johny
ReplyDeleteAnimals do have much simpler way of communicating than human beings. That’s why we are of higher organism level. However, animals in the same family but of different species do behave differently too and animals do lie, such as camouflaging and tricking the preys or predators.
Do you want to be as simple as an animal? Although, it will give me lesser headaches and easier way of living, however life would be more boring, isn’t it? I would like my life to be more colourful and challenging.
Human existence has their reason, that’s why we are not animals. We live, trade, travel, globalization and educated. Like what Yuan mentioned, successful. We improve, not saying that animals don’t improve, but we are capable of changing how the world looks like of course not saying that we can control our destiny.
hi Johny,
ReplyDeleteYou are not alone~I always think the world would be a better place for us to live in if everyone is just honest and nobody lies.
I've tried to be honest to everyone around me as well as to be honest with my own feelings. But what happened is that being honest to yourself, sometimes you will hurt the persons around you. I think that's why some white lies come up.
Anyway, we cannot change the world, but we can change ourselves to better fit the world. Just keep in mind your principles and try not to violate them, you'll be fine.
cheers，
The world is still a wonderful place~
Feng Lu
Hieyo SHM!
ReplyDeleteYou are right in saying humans can lie. And the world would definitely be a simpler place to live in if we are as simple-minded as the other animals species.
On the other hand, the reason why humans are the superior animal and dominate over the other species is because we are intelligent. Along with intelligence comes deceit, manipulation, etc, depending on how each individual human uses his/her intelligence.
Humans not only communicate in a million other ways, we also inteprete the same matter in various other ways too. I have a teacher who once said, "If the other party does not get the point you wanna convey, it is your fault because you did not communicate well."
Hi Johny,
ReplyDeleteInteresting blog post. Thought provoking. However, if you are to give me a choice between an animalistic "direct and honest" world, or our current human forms of communications, I will still choose the latter.
Let me elaborate. Animals' world might be a lot simpler, yes. But maybe what you have highlighed are the nicer aspects of animal communications. Take the case of bears, when 2 male bears both try to woo the attention of a female bear, what happened is a bloody fight between the 2, sometimes maybe a fight to the death. Simple communication, very very direct, perhaps what the male bear thinks is simply, "The charbor bear is mine, you come, you die", fight ensues.
Now, if humans have the same sort of "direct and simple communications", I strongly suspect it will not be a better world to live in. Like what kalene has mentioned, with intelligence, comes sophistication. Bundled together will be deceit and lies, I think it is a zero sum game, if you want this, you will also get that.
The human nature is corrupted. Therefore, if human communication is brought down to the level of animal communication (i.e. straight-forward, without hesitating, honest), this earth will be in an all hell breaks loose condition.
ReplyDeletePeople will say nasty things about one another when being offended. Besides, there will be no order in any form or human gatherings. Imagine a meeting where everyone says what they like and whenever they like to.
I believe a harmonious and functional human society is only achieved when its people practice self-constraint, and when they uses the high level of communication to convey message, but avoiding conflicts.
This is off the record - if human communication was no more than only a few signs, then i'd be out of job! :p
ReplyDelete