“For instance, on the planet Earth, man had always assumed that he was more intelligent than dolphins because he had achieved so much—the wheel, New York, wars and so on—whilst all the dolphins had ever done was muck about in the water having a good time. But conversely, the dolphins had always believed that they were far more intelligent than man—for precisely the same reasons.”
— Douglas Adams
Simplified Meaning:
Humans often think they are smarter than other animals because they build cities, invent things, and achieve many complex tasks. For example, we pride ourselves on creating technologies like smartphones, sending people to the Moon, and constructing skyscrapers. At the same time, dolphins spend their lives swimming, playing, and enjoying themselves in the ocean without creating such things. But from the dolphins' point of view, perhaps they consider themselves the wiser species for living a carefree, joyful life without the stress and conflict humans face. This makes us question what true intelligence is: Is it about creating and achieving, or about living a happy, peaceful life? We can learn to respect different ways of living and understand that intelligence and success can look different depending on your perspective.
