Acharya Prashant explains that humans are the only species on Earth that suffer intensely, leading to high rates of suicide, depression, and crime. Unlike animals like horses or dogs, who can live their lives without self-understanding, humans have a unique obligation to know themselves. Without self-knowledge, humans fall into madness and misery. This internal emptiness and sense of incompleteness drive people to exploit others and the environment to find fulfillment through material possessions, status, or power. This exploitation extends to animals, whom humans torture and consume simply because they are stronger and the animals are defenseless.