Our repressed instincts

Our repressed instincts

Worldwide | Friday, October 15, 2010 | 5 photos

Animals are in direct and constant contact with their instincts. On the contrary, we human beings unconsciously repress our instincts, wishes or even feelings because we fear they may not be suitable in many social contexts.

But in India, people and animals live together on the streets. While human beings stuck to social conventions, animals just did what they felt like doing.

Dogs were just copulating on a street, butterflies did the same in a park and flies did it in a wedding, where the bride and the groom where supposed to be still virgin. The reproduction instinct is more important for animals than anything others may think about them. I would have also had sexual intercourse with some people on that street, in that park or in that wedding, but I do know that I am not allowed to do such things. That is the contrast I wanted to show on my photos.

The way the crow stares at the camera shows the instinct of survival. Staring at people is said to be rude, but if you are a baby crow and feel threatened, you just stare at every move your potential scourge may make, without caring about social conventions.

Superior mammals, such as the cow, have a curiosity instinct. So have we human beings. The difference is that cows are allowed to approach us without asking anything. But how would we react if someone tried to smell our photo camera?

Why are we human beings not in direct contact with our instincts?

The reason why I think my photos should be chosen is that maybe many people would realise they would be happier if they were more in contact with their instincts.