# What animal can rule the world better? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 30, 2013, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-animal-can-rule-the-world-better/675112 "2013-11-30T01:01:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![coremelt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@coremelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coremelt)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2013, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-animal-can-rule-the-world-better/675112/21 "2013-11-30T11:53:25Z")
Even if you assume some alternate reality where some herbivore species developed tool using and sentience, herbivores still play violent and aggressive dominance games with each other over mates. Game theory states that only asshole species that are willing to drive competitors to extinction are going to end up ruling the planet. Best we can do is try not to be assholes after we got there. ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2013, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-animal-can-rule-the-world-better/675112/22 "2013-11-30T11:56:03Z")
Honey Badgers ---
**Author:** ![Duke\_of\_York](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f6c823/32.png) [@Duke\_of\_York](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke_of_York)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2013, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-animal-can-rule-the-world-better/675112/23 "2013-11-30T12:41:49Z")
> [@drewtwo99](#): > > Honey Badgers If Honey Badgers ruled the world then there would be a massive increase in road rage. ---
**Author:** ![Schnitte](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/schnitte/32/9033_2.png) [@Schnitte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Schnitte)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2013, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-animal-can-rule-the-world-better/675112/24 "2013-11-30T14:29:25Z")
> [@Yumblie](#): > > Do humans really rule the world? I think we humans have largely agreed that dying from infections is bad, but that hasn’t stopped bacteria from killing scores of us with impunity. If we’re really in charge, then clearly bacteria is above the law. But look at it from their point of view: they’ve been around since the beginning, whereas us uppity multi-cellular lifeforms just suddenly waltzed in and are already claiming we own the place. The number of individual bacteria killed by humans far, far exceeds the number of individual humans killed by bacteria. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2013, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-animal-can-rule-the-world-better/675112/25 "2013-11-30T16:22:12Z")
> [@Schnitte](#): > > The number of individual bacteria killed by humans far, far exceeds the number of individual humans killed by bacteria. Probably not on a percentage basis. And I think it is utmost arrogance to assume that humans “rule the world” now. We rule over a tiny fraction of the surface area of one planet. Even assuming “the world” means the Earth, we exert minimal control over a small portion of it only. The ants, cockroaches, bacteria, trees, bees, and plenty others probably think they run things. Or would, if they had the power of thought, and how do we know they don’t? ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2013, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-animal-can-rule-the-world-better/675112/26 "2013-11-30T16:27:04Z")
No animal with any common sense would even \*want \*to rule the world. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2013, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-animal-can-rule-the-world-better/675112/27 "2013-11-30T16:30:07Z")
> [@denfrank](#): > > Just based on their psychology, intelligence, behavior. > Rule the world in a socially beneficial way, conscious of > other species…smart, responsible, caring, good role models, able to coexist with species different from them and think of the bigger picture before themselves: keeping ecosystems and Mother Nature at large, alive and thriving. > > You know, not like those other guys that won’t be around much longer with > their greed, war, overconsumption, environmental degradation, and reality TV. > > _What animal could do this better?_ Tell you what. Give us an example of one you think meets all your criteria: smart, responsible, caring, good role models, able to coexist with species different from them and think of the bigger picture before themselves: keeping ecosystems and Mother Nature at large, alive and thriving I’m especially interested in the non-human animal that can “think about the big picture”, but make sure you point out how it fits all those criteria. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2013, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-animal-can-rule-the-world-better/675112/28 "2013-11-30T17:05:45Z")
Border collies. They would benevolently rule the world, and all humans would be gathered in bunches and nobody would be lonely. Agoraphobics need not apply. Treats for all! ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2013, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-animal-can-rule-the-world-better/675112/29 "2013-11-30T17:15:14Z")
> [@blondebear](#): > > No animal with any common sense would even \*want \*to rule the world. I have it on good authority that \*everybody \*wants to rule the world. ---
**Author:** ![Atomic\_Alex](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atomic_alex/32/175_2.png) [@Atomic\_Alex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atomic_Alex)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2013, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-animal-can-rule-the-world-better/675112/30 "2013-11-30T18:53:00Z")
> [@The\_Second\_Stone](#): > > Border collies. They would benevolently rule the world, and all humans would be gathered in bunches and nobody would be lonely. Agoraphobics need not apply. Treats for all! Oh no way, while in general I love border collies the biggest asshole of a dog I ever met was a border collie. He would be the canine Stalin of the new world order and there’s probably many more like him out there _(the son of a bitch)_ . Anyway nice to see another misanthrophic thread, we were running short of them lately. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2013, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-animal-can-rule-the-world-better/675112/31 "2013-12-01T00:09:32Z")
No love for damn dirty apes? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-animal-can-rule-the-world-better/675112.md?page=1)