if only, if only

I wish I were an animal—to be so straightforward that I could greet my sister by tackling her to the ground, solely out of affection; to take naps unashamedly; to run around the neighborhood with no inhibitions, no logical purpose, and no worries. Instead, here I am, sitting methodically and dispassionately at my computer, waiting for my washing machine to buzz. 

Productivity, 

Rationality, 

Efficiency: 

these are the values of our society. 

Vulnerability is weakness. Fun is for the frivolous. We obediently learn how to protect ourselves from showing traces of such things in our lives. These lies unite to form the inflated human ego, which has proven itself to be a volatile creation indeed.

This ego is to some degree responsible for nearly all economic, political, and social failures in our world today.
Why, I wonder, do we feel the need to continually demonstrate our control over nature, animals, and ultimately over one another? Bullying, abuse, theft: these acts wreak of insecurity and unhappiness. Inner issues with outer consequences. As I watch the news, crimes like these don't outrage me anymore. I, like the majority, have become fairly numb to violence and suffering. Instead I now feel a deep sadness, slight guilt even, for the failures of our social institutions.
Our own egocentrism is slowly leading toward the downfall of the human race. So...what are you going to do about it? 

What. am. I. going to. do about it? That's the real question.
In the meantime, I maintain that if reincarnation is true, I'm hoping to return as some really cool animal. 
A cassowarie would be ideal.