139979
Oh, that's correct, even as I didn't even think of it in this regards, as I don't "work for humans" basically.
Aside all the taxes and necessary service workers you have to consult to apply law-conform bureaucracy.
But it doesn't really resemble "what it means to be human", it's more of a "what it means to have a constructed society which advantages those in control of the settings". Same as it doesn't "mean to be human" to be the game master of a P&P role play game.
Most societies are made to control people, the masses, to find a way with lowest internal conflict and the ability to solve ultimate exterior problems with combined powers and wisdom. "Save the energy and direct it into necessary bigger goals for all".
Since around 1300-1400 it first changed into "long live monarchy!", more or less a status quo of dictatorship, then a dictatorship split in trusted family members and friends, then a form of democracy which was easy to handle, to steer.
Nowadays the goals are more or less far away from "keep them away from internal conflicts" and based on "stirring internal conflicts so as they don't unite against directive management with manipulative / selfish goals in mind, often founded by private companies".
As in the actual numbers which are to get "managed" - compared to around 100 initially, while villages and camps formed and around 1000 at a time of small, but functional mayor- or elder-regulated regions - the actual numbers of regulated people and unfortunately the amount of money to "use for them" - but in reality not so rarely "against them" - grew by multiple factors.
And there's still a level of individual greed, "worth and value" which nowadays with a country of 90 million as example is ways easier "bought" and corrupted than in a camp with 100 people, just by taking a few cents to dollars / euros of each citizens or members.
This corrupts the whole system into a level of selfish, greedy corporate-influenced shitshow, even raising as more and more people don't feel any "bond" to other humans, to the goals and a good life of those humans, a form of companionship working towards bigger goals. That was here even around 1960-1980 still existent, but got lost mostly in the last three dozen years. ?
Nowadays they strive mainly for just one goal: their own comfortable, rich life. Neighbors? Family? Friends? Very rarely..
As such I wouldn't call this what it means to be human. For most people being human means just being selfish, that's all. Aside this.. they're not better than any wild hungry animal and would do the same the second it promises them a noticeable rise in their long-term comfort and power.
But this aside: What I meant initially was more linked to decisions and tasks which you set for yourself. Not someone else, no third human person, just yourself. Which are based on some increase and enjoyment in life - of someone you're with and which you wish all the best, be it a pet, a human, whatever.
You'll still lose time for or from you both if you invest it into the task, the project. At the end it all takes time out not only of your own existence, but as well out of the existence of those you do it for.
At the end: Money means not much. It doesn't grant you necessarily a longer life or more enjoyment, more fun in life. It just eases the ways to your self-dictated goals and wishes. If you change your wishes, there might be a possibility to live somewhere even without much or any of the stuff that people keep to have power (i.e. to keep you to work for those).
But surely enough this removes quite a bit of comfort from ones life. And if it's necessary for as example medical procedures.. there's a big difference in "poorer" and "richer" layers of the made-up society, that's true. Unfortunately.
