If you look at the world it seems like human beings have won. They seem to be far more effective at surviving and thriving than any other complex life form. Humanity has spread across the globe and figured out how to live. They have conquered Earth; they are the champions of creation.
Humans are a unique kind of animal. That’s a given. But generally they also consider themselves on top (or at least close to the top, if spiritual beings are factored in) of the consciousness hierarchy in the living world. If you look at the premise of Reincarnation, souls climb up this hierarchy if they live good lives. From rocks to plants to animals to the most intelligent animal, humans.
But humans also have a lot of problems. They’re greedy, lustful, and vengeful. They deplete and destroy resources until only pollution is left. Not to mention the mental anguish of being a person: stress, anxiety, depression, trauma, heartbreak, and so on. Humans have existed for a while. They’e all but conquered the world. But most of them are deeply unhappy. They search for happiness in all the wrong places and are never satisfied.
A lot of other beings on Earth seems to be more satisfied than people. Trees are content growing and then being repurposed for tables and chairs. Herbs are content blossoming and being eaten. Indeed, the classic human definition for an “enlightened” person (stoic, unfazed, peaceful) sounds a lot like how plants live. They aren’t trying to change the world around them. They grow and do their best to provide shade.
Maybe humans have the hierarchy of consciousness backwards.