Webster's dictionary defines human being as 'human 1. Of or characteristic of man || to be a person || of people as limited creatures, human weaknesses || resembling man 2. A person'; Of course there is more to being human than this. A concise but broad definition of a human being would be any man, woman, child, etc. on this earth. Being human means you can read this article. It means you don't have to worry, you're comfortable at the top of the food chain. There are many ways in which humans are different from other animals, and I have chosen what I believe to be the biggest differences of all. One main difference is self-awareness, or the awareness that we exist by living and dying. Because we know that we will die sooner or later, we care for those who may not be able to care for themselves to prolong the lives of those we love. Another thing that self-awareness gives us is that it makes us search for the meaning of life and make the most of it before leaving this physical plane. This brings us to religion, one of the other things that separate us from animals. Almost all humans have a religion that believes in an afterlife. Some believe in rebirth where one never dies but continues to live in different states of the earth. In almost all religions there is one or more higher beings, this concept is similar to the way our government works. There are primitive animal concepts that show traces of governance, such as the omnipotent wolf appointing a king-like alpha couple and the queen to make the best decisions for the survival of the pack. Humans appoint government to prevent chaos from killing us. Even though our government is far from perfect, there is still a sense of security in the fact that there is someone semi-responsible guiding parts of humanity towards a better future.