What does it mean to be "humane"?

Humane is defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary as having compassion, sympathy or consideration. Or, more specifically tending toward humanistic culture. It makes you think, the idea that showing compassion, sympathy, and consideration is an inherent quality of humanity.

See, especially when considering the recent history of our human culture (increased threats of terrorism, increased global participation in conflict, increased gun violence, increasing tensions between race, gender, religion and much much more), we are faced with a challenge to the idea of an inherently good human nature. Now, this is an extremely cynical viewpoint, that humanity is not good simply because of our actions, but what if we look at humanity in contrast to animals?

The word humane is used to describe our treatment of animals, but at what point does treating animals with a human intention become less than how animals treat each other. Within nature, there is a hierarchy, where animals eat other animals, those higher on the food chain lead an ecosystem. But animals prove again and again that there is little concern for causing pain or torture to other animals, rather just a need to live. Then you consider the millions of stories and examples of animals who encompass a community mentality, who take in abandoned animals, who give up their lives to protect their young. We see humanity as superior to animal life, but animals possess the same (sometimes more intentional) need and want to support and protect others, through compassion, sympathy, or consideration. Where humanity is struggling to love each other, let alone the animals entrusted to our care, animals remain strong in the inherent need to protect themselves and others.

So I challenge you to think about your words, think about the history, about the context and true meaning. For me, using the word "humane" to describe the idea of compassion seems hypocritical, seems wrong. I challenge myself and you to show compassion to change the meaning of "humane" to truly mean compassion and to know what you're saying and what that means in context to the world you live in.