In nature, there is a tiny insect: The dung beetle.
Most people look at it with disgust.
Yet the work it does is one of the most critical tasks that keeps the world alive.
It rolls animal droppings, buries them in the soil, and accelerates decomposition.
In this way, the soil is nourished, the air is purified, and parasites cannot multiply.
A beetle that creates the cycle of life out of what we call waste proves the intelligence of nature.
A Divine Symbol in Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egypt did not see the dung beetle as an ordinary creature.
They called it the scarab. As this beetle rolled dung, it symbolized the Sun’s movement across the sky.
The rising Sun each morning was identified with the sphere rolled by the beetle.
In their belief of life after death, the scarab was a sacred seal. Because for them, this beetle was the symbol of rebirth and immortality.
Through the Eyes of Other Civilizations
Some African tribes saw the dung beetle as the spirit of purification and cleansing.
For ancient Greek thinkers, this beetle was proof that nature could make even what we call waste functional.
For the Stoics, the example of the dung beetle showed that the parts of life which seem ugly to us could actually be the most valuable pieces of the system.
A Philosophical Lesson
Philosophy always tells us the same truth: “Value lies not in appearance, but in function.”
The dung beetle survives even in the filthiest environment. It creates order out of what we find disgusting.
Its existence reminds us of this: Nothing in life is completely empty or useless.
What Is Actually True
But there are some people…
They are not even as useful as a dung beetle.
While the smallest insect of nature cleanses the world, all they do is block others’ paths, produce words, and cause obstruction.
That’s why:
Do not pay attention to the words of people who are not even as useful as a dung beetle.
Take a look and see what they actually contribute to the world.