“You are acting like an animal!” is a phrase that really means what it does not say. The comparison of people to animals is one that is often made whenever someone is misbehaving. It means that the person it applies to is acting uncivilized, and is meant as a reprimand for the person for not behaving. But what about animals is considered uncivilized? Is it that they don’t lie? Is it that they don’t steal or kill each other for no reason? Perhaps it is because animals are loyal and have a heart.

“It is much easier to show compassion to animals. They are never wicked,” said Haile Selassie, a former emperor of Ethiopia.

It is true. Animals are much better than humans. You never turn on the news and hear that a dog robbed a bank or that cats have started an international terrorist group. Instead you hear stories of all the awful things that humans have done. How can someone call animals uncivilized when we act so much worse than they do?

So, actually it is more of a complement than an insult to be compared to an animal. Really, instead of saying “you are acting like an animal” we should be saying “you are acting like a human” whenever someone is misbehaving. That would make much more sense.