Anthropocentrism
What does it feel like to be a mountain? You might reply that it feels “grand,” “majestic” or “calming.” Yet the very question is a contradiction because mountains don’t feel. None of us can comprehend what it is like to be non-human. We are such social creatures that we seek out relationships with both the people and the inanimate objects around us. That’s why your misguided brain is constantly projecting human emotions onto non-human things. In essence, we turn everything into a human being.
Trees are noble.
Weeds are devious.
Daisies are kind.
Viruses are evil.
Squirrels are mischievous.
Why is it perfectly okay for us to kill and eat millions of cows, while simultaneously spending billions to protect the health of dogs and cats? Anthropocentrism has turned cows into objects and pets into people.
As you go through your day, take the time to notice the very human attributes you assign to pretty much every object you encounter.
Your favorite pen is a friend.
Your to-do list is impatient.
Your home is a guardian.
Your brain is constantly forming relationships, despite the fact pretty much all of those relationships are one-sided.