Are Humans Considered "Animals?"

[EarlJam]

You know, technically speaking.

Discuss.

-EarlJam

[wilson]

Well, we do belong to the biological kingdom of Animalia (or Metazoa, if you prefer), if that's what you're asking.

[CameronBornAndBred]

The fact that we are animals was taught to me when I was a very young animal.

[wilson]

The fact that we are animals was taught to me when I was a very young animal.

Other animals have really cool names for themselves when they are in groups. I mean, there's a "herd" of cattle, or a "flock" of birds, of course, both fairly familiar and pedestrian by now, but did you know that a group of rhinos is called a "crash"? Or that a group of ravens is called a "murder"? There's an army of ants. A troop of gorillas. A coalition of cheetahs. An obstinacy of buffaloes (no, seriously).
So why do we just call a group of ourselves a "group of people"? You'd think we could do better for ourselves as a species. I mean, hell, we invented all of those other awesome words, right?

[EarlJam]

The fact that we are animals was taught to me when I was a very young animal.

Other animals have really cool names for themselves when they are in groups. I mean, there's a "herd" of cattle, or a "flock" of birds, of course, both fairly familiar and pedestrian by now, but did you know that a group of rhinos is called a "crash"? Or that a group of ravens is called a "murder"? There's an army of ants. A troop of gorillas. A coalition of cheetahs. An obstinacy of buffaloes (no, seriously).
So why do we just call a group of ourselves a "group of people"? You'd think we could do better for ourselves as a species. I mean, hell, we invented all of those other awesome words, right?

The universal term for "a large group" is "shitload."

"There are a shitload of people here tonight."

Okay, so many angles here. So, if you gather a group of ravens and have them committed to some kind of avian sanctuary, have you technically committed a murder? It would suck to do something nice like that for ravens only to be sentenced to death for it. One thing is for certain, you'd never do it again. Nevermore. Nevermore.

-EarlJam

[wilson]

Okay, so many angles here. So, if you gather a group of ravens and have them committed to some kind of avian sanctuary, have you technically committed a murder? It would suck to do something nice like that for ravens only to be sentenced to death for it. One thing is for certain, you'd never do it again. Nevermore. Nevermore.

-EarlJam

Excellent point. There's also the possibility of scenarios like the following:
That murder was crowing bloody murder outside my house last night, so I murdered the murder. Those ravens are tough little suckers...finishing the murder murder was murder.

[EarlJam]

Okay, so many angles here. So, if you gather a group of ravens and have them committed to some kind of avian sanctuary, have you technically committed a murder? It would suck to do something nice like that for ravens only to be sentenced to death for it. One thing is for certain, you'd never do it again. Nevermore. Nevermore.

-EarlJam

Excellent point. There's also the possibility of scenarios like the following:
That murder was crowing bloody murder outside my house last night, so I murdered the murder. Those ravens are tough little suckers...finishing the murder murder was murder.

Hmmmmmm. So if a group of ravens peer into a mirror, will they see "Red Rum" written in dark red?

-EarlJam

[EarlJam]

The fact that we are animals was taught to me when I was a very young animal.

Other animals have really cool names for themselves when they are in groups. I mean, there's a "herd" of cattle, or a "flock" of birds, of course, both fairly familiar and pedestrian by now, but did you know that a group of rhinos is called a "crash"? Or that a group of ravens is called a "murder"? There's an army of ants. A troop of gorillas. A coalition of cheetahs. An obstinacy of buffaloes (no, seriously).
So why do we just call a group of ourselves a "group of people"? You'd think we could do better for ourselves as a species. I mean, hell, we invented all of those other awesome words, right?

Interesting:

A Troop of Gorillas vs. Guerilla Troops.

Both can pretty much fuck you up, though Gorillas are absolutely powerless against the element, Samsonite.

-EJ

[wilson]

So if a group of ravens peer into a mirror, will they see "Red Rum" written in dark red?

-EarlJam

HAHAHAHAHA.

[wilson]

I wonder what a group of wookiees is called? That seems like precisely the sort of dorky thing that George Lucas and/or his dorky disciples would think about.

[EarlJam]

I wonder what a group of wookiees is called? That seems like precisely the sort of dorky thing that George Lucas and/or his dorky disciples would think about.

Well, let's see. They're hairy. They're powerful. Men like them (in a companionship sort of way). Their lips are prominent. And if you treat them poorly, they can really mess you up.

How about a "Vaginak?"

"Hey, check that out Magnus! It's a vaginak of wookiees!"

-EJ

[wilson]

Well, let's see. They're hairy. They're powerful. Men like them (in a companionship sort of way). Their lips are prominent. And if you treat them poorly, they can really mess you up.

How about a "Vaginak?"

"Hey, check that out Magnus! It's a vaginak of wookiees!"

-EJ

Speechless.

[bjornolf]

The fact that we are animals was taught to me when I was a very young animal.

Other animals have really cool names for themselves when they are in groups. I mean, there's a "herd" of cattle, or a "flock" of birds, of course, both fairly familiar and pedestrian by now, but did you know that a group of rhinos is called a "crash"? Or that a group of ravens is called a "murder"? There's an army of ants. A troop of gorillas. A coalition of cheetahs. An obstinacy of buffaloes (no, seriously).
So why do we just call a group of ourselves a "group of people"? You'd think we could do better for ourselves as a species. I mean, hell, we invented all of those other awesome words, right?

I thought a group of crows was a murder. I thought a group of ravens was called an unkindness.

Here's a website about it: http://home.comcast.net/~ray.ammerman/groups.html

[wilson]

I thought a group of crows was a murder. I thought a group of ravens was called an unkindness.

Here's a website about it: http://home.comcast.net/~ray.ammerman/groups.html

A group of crows is indeed a murder. However, ravens are likewise referred to as such.
http://www.hintsandthings.co.uk/kennel/collectives.htm

[Lavabe]

You know, technically speaking.

Discuss.

-EarlJam

Blame it on Linnaeus.

[bjornolf]

I thought a group of crows was a murder. I thought a group of ravens was called an unkindness.

Here's a website about it: http://home.comcast.net/~ray.ammerman/groups.html

A group of crows is indeed a murder. However, ravens are likewise referred to as such.
http://www.hintsandthings.co.uk/kennel/collectives.htm

ah, but my term, an unkindness, was the first listed. Some rando named Michelle added the murder.

What I find funny is that there are a bunch of different ones for penguins, depending on their activity. Waddle if they're on land, raft if they're swimming, rook if they're nesting. Wow.

[DukieInKansas]

In answer to the title question: some more so than others.