Comprehension:
Read the given passage and answer the five questions that follow :-
Humans are deluded creatures who always think they are born to rule and dictate. This human delusion has assumed dangerous proportions in these times when humans are on a rampage, destroying and devouring all those they fallaciously perceive as inferior. The religio-scriptural belief humans are the best of all creations has made us believe we are the monarchs of all we survey.
The misconception that nature has made us the undisputed supreme species who can eliminate others at will, underscores speciesism. The great Persian mystic Hakim Sanai wrote centuries ago, "Humans must learn to coexist with all creatures,” and the poet Anvari said "Hubristic humans are threats to all creatures and non-human animals."
All mystics believe the very concept of equality and egalitarianism could be fully understood and realized only when humans could accept the most exalted truth- that even a leaf, an ant, and a branch of tree has a pure essence and spirit, is as sacred as the human spirit.
In other words, it is not enough to establish equality and egalitarianism among humans; there should be seamless equality and a spirit of relatable empathy among all. How can we be condescending or disparaging to any other species on Earth? Never forget every particle glitters with effulgence of divinity. The problem with us is our ingrained condescension. Even in our so-called love for animals and other species, there is always an element of pontification that can be equated with Rudyard Kipling's downright pejorative phrase, “The White Man’s Burden.” Who has given us the right to treat animals the way we have been treating them right from the dawn of human civilization?
What destructive human trait is referred to by the phrase "hubristic humans"?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 4
The correct answer is Option (4) → Vanity
- Hubris is excessive pride and self-importance, and hubristic describes a person full of it. The passage calls such humans "threats to all creatures".
Example: His hubristic belief that he could not fail led to his downfall. - Vanity means excessive pride in oneself; it is the trait closest to hubris among the options.
Example: His vanity made him refuse all advice.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 1: Envy — Incorrect. Wrong meaning: envy is resentment at another person's good fortune; hubris is pride in oneself, not resentment of others.
Example: She felt envy when her friend won the prize.
Option 2: Greed — Incorrect. Wrong meaning: greed is an excessive desire for wealth or possessions; hubris is about self-importance, not wanting more.
Example: His greed made him hoard food.
Option 3: Anger — Incorrect. Wrong meaning: anger is a strong feeling of displeasure; it is not the meaning of hubris.
Example: He shouted in anger.