There are philosophical and religious views which separate the body from the mind/soul, though I find this distinction untenable in practice, for there is no instance of a body or mind/soul that has a standalone presence. As such, likening myself to a peacock is a reminder of my humanity—our humanity. By entertaining the possibility that all our higher aspirations (e.g. philosophy) may be reducible to—or consistent with—basic instincts, I am hinting at the fact that we have no choice in the matter of what our humanity renders possible.