History Main / HumanityIsSuperior

The prevalence of this trope in early science fiction in particular is partially attributable to ExecutiveMeddling on the part of Creator/JohnWCampbell, editor-in-chief of ''Astounding Science Fiction'' and later ''Magazine/{{Analog}}'' (both defining publications of the golden age of sci-fi) for over thirty years, who flatly refused, under any circumstances, to publish any stories in which aliens were shown as equal or superior to humans.

The prevalence of this trope in early science fiction in particular is partially attributable to ExecutiveMeddling on the part of Creator/JohnWCampbell, editor-in-chief of ''Astounding Science Fiction'' (the defining publication of the golden age of sci-fi) for over thirty years, who flatly refused, under any circumstances, to publish any stories in which aliens were shown as equal or superior to humans.

The prevalence of this trope in early science fiction in particular is partially attributable to ExecutiveMeddling on the part of Creator/JohnWCampbell, editor-in-chief of ''[[Magazine/Analog Astounding Science Fiction]]'' (the defining publication of the golden age of sci-fi) for over thirty years, who flatly refused, under any circumstances, to publish any stories in which aliens were shown as equal or superior to humans.

The prevalence of this trope in early science fiction in particular is partially attributable to ExecutiveMeddling on the part of Creator/JohnWCampbell, editor-in-chief of ''Astounding Science Fiction'' (the defining publication of the golden age of sci-fi) for over thirty years, who flatly refused, under any circumstances, to publish any stories in which aliens were shown as equal or superior to humans.

* The core philosophy of the United Empire in ''VideoGame/EndlessSpace'' and [[VideoGame/EndlessSpace2 its sequel]], the Empire being effectively a LighterAndSofter version of [[TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}} everyone's favourite militaristic, human-supremacist star-spanning regime]]. Ironically the Empire is itself not a good example of the trope (like its main inspiration it is a badly-run totalitarian hellhole rife with corruption and anti-intellectualism, unless you can shift the gears through certain decisions - at which it becomes the Imperium of Man without the constant DoingInTheScientist). It's the ''other'' human faction, the Vaulters, who really demonstrate this trope; the Vaulters are the second-most technologically advanced faction in the entire setting behind the eternally curious and [[VideoGame/KerbalSpaceProgram Kerbal-like]] [[MadScientist Sophons]] (but the Vaulters can also fight pretty well too, [[CripplingOverspecialisation unlike the Sophons]]).

* Creator/IsaacAsimov's "Literature/VictoryUnintentional": The ZZ robots accidentally convince the Jovian aliens that humanity is physically superior in every respect, because nobody remembered to tell them that [[CaptainObvious the ZZ robots aren't human]].

* Creator/IsaacAsimov's "Literature/VictoryUnintentional": The ZZ robots accidentally convince the Jovian aliens that humanity is physically superior in every respect, because nobody remembered to tell them that [[CaptainObvious the ZZ robots aren't human]].

* This was an EnforcedTrope at ''[[Magazine/{{Analog}} Astounding Science Fiction]]'' when Creator/JohnWCampbell was in charge. He required that any story involving aliens must show them to be inferior to humans to reflect his personal belief that white men were superior to other races.

** Humans are the dominant race in most settings, thanks to extra versatility with none of the mechanical drawbacks other races suffer. While other races have intrinsic advantages, humans can always pick up the right skill for the job.
** In 1[[superscript:st]] Edition, even friendly non-human races like dwarves were barred from many classes and had a lower level cap than humans. Humanoid races like orcs were AlwaysChaoticEvil cannon fodder with spellcasting limited to "shamans" and "witch doctors". Creator/GaryGygax confirmed that the system was built to favour human player characters.
** This is the ethos of the god [[http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20041203a Zarus]] -- who also happens to be a LawfulEvil egomaniac who believes that [[WhatMeasureIsANonHuman non-humans]] deserve enslavement and {{Half Human Hybrid}}s deserve death, and whose official dogma reads like bad fanfiction, so his word on the subject is less than reliable.

* ''[[TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}} Warhammer 40K]]'' brings us the Imperium of Man, a massive galactic [[TheEmpire empire]] whose domain encompasses millions of worlds and countless citizens. Its armies number in the trillions, with thousands upon thousands of war machines at their disposal (including HumongousMecha the size of ''mountains'') and include many of the deadliest warriors in the galaxy. While human technology is not the most advanced of the setting, the Imperium is nevertheless capable of achievements that often match (and in some cases exceed) those of other races. Given the [[EvilVersusEvil grim morality]] of the setting, it's no surprise that the position of humanity as the dominant galactic power is reflected in their [[KillEmAll attitude towards alien civilizations]].

* Humans are the biggest and the baddest in the TabletopGame/{{Traveller}} universe.

* The ''Anime/OnePiece'' world runs on the rule of thumb that [[AsskickingEqualsAuthority Asskicking Equals Authority]]. Despite the existence of races far stronger than humans naturally (such as Fishmen and Giants), the [[OneWorldOrder World Government]] and its military is ultimately composed of humans, with humans occupying powerful positions in said military. And on the other side of the spectrum, at least Three of Four Emperors, the strongest pirates in the world, are humans with non-humans characters playing supporting roles in their respective organizations. A large part of this comes from Devil Fruit consumers (Fishmen tend to shy away from them) and various other reasons. Furthermore, humans in the One Piece world are a lot... stranger than we expect (where humans being over 10 feet tall is considered average and the average life span is over 100, with some ''normal'' humans capable of being over 20 feet tall.)

* The ''Anime/OnePiece'' world runs on the rule of thumb that [[AsskickingEqualsAuthority Asskicking Equals Authority]]. Despite the existence of races far stronger than humans naturally (such as Fishmen and Giants), the [[OneWorldOrder World Government]] and its military is ultimately composed of humans, with humans occupying powerful positions in said military. And on the other side of the spectrum, the strongest pirates in the world, The Four Emperors, are all humans as well (though Kaido appears to be a potential subversion), with non-humans characters playing supporting roles in their respective organizations.
** A large part of this comes from Devil Fruit consumers (Fishmen tend to shy away from them) and various other reasons. Furthermore, humans in the One Piece world are a lot... stranger than we expect (where humans being over 10 feet tall is considered average and the average life span is over 100, with some ''normal'' humans capable of being over 20 feet tall.)

[[folder:Live Action TV]]

** A large part of this comes from Devil Fruit consumers (Fishmen tend to shy away from them) and various other reasons. Furthermore, humans in the One Piece world are alot more... stranger than we expect (where humans being over 10 feet tall is considered average and the average life span is over 100, with some ''normal'' humans capable of being over 20 feet tall.)

* Creator/StrugatskyBrothers' Franchise/NoonUniverse series depict the humanity as THE superior power in the galaxy, with only a few of other races capable of spaceflight. The humans are so advanced that they are helping other civilizations into space age using covert agents known as Progressors. Subverted in that many alien species are [[HumanAliens humans in anything but name]], and are only written as aliens as an excuse to write dystopian settings (dystopian Earth humans would not be accepted by Soviet censorship).

* The core philosophy of the United Empire in ''VideoGame/EndlessSpace'' and [[VideoGame/EndlessSpace2 its sequel]], the Empire being effectively a LighterAndSofter version of [[TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}} everyone's favourite militaristic, human-supremacist star-spanning regime]]. Ironically the Empire is itself not a good example of the trope (like its main inspiration it is a badly-run totalitarian hellhole rife with corruption and anti-intellectualism unless you can shift the gears through certain quest decisions). It's the ''other'' human faction, the Vaulters, who really demonstrate this trope; the Vaulters are the second-most technologically advanced faction in the entire setting behind the eternally curious and [[VideoGame/KerbalSpaceProgram Kerbal-like]] [[MadScientist Sophons]] (except [[CripplingOverspecialisation unlike the Sophons]], the Vaulters are just as formidable fighters as they are brilliant scientists).

* The ''Anime/OnePiece'' world runs on the rule of thumb that [[AsskickingEqualsAuthority Asskicking Equals Authority]]. Despite the existence of races far stronger than humans naturally (such as Fishmen and Giants), the [[OneWorldOrder World Government]] and its military is ultimately composed of humans, with humans occupying powerful positions in said military. And on the other side of the spectrum, the strongest pirates in the world, The Four Emperors, are all humans as well, with non-humans characters playing supporting roles in their respective organizations.

* {{Deconstructed|Trope}} and then {{reconstruct|ion}}ed in ''Webcomic/{{Freefall}}''. Sam Starfall, the only alien seen so far, is a member of a sapient octopus race that evolved on a planet that managed to avoid mass extinction events and thus has less advanced cell chemistry. Despite apparently looking like some EldritchAbomination outside his suit and being able to [[ExtremeOmnivore eat things that would kill a cockroach]], he's more-or-less physically inferior to most of what has evolved in Earth's biosphere. To put it in perspective, he once got beat up by a child back when he tried [[ItMakesSenseInContext mugging humans for a living]]. Even the robots in the comic are generally inferior to humans. Economics has made it so most[[note]]aside from the ones built as heavy machinery[[/note]] are built from relatively flimsy materials, making them physically inferior to humans, and their neural nets are only rated for up to 80 years, while humans at the time are expected to live at least 160 years.

* An InvokedTrope in ''Series/TheGoodies'' episode "U-Friend or UFO?" Faced with a possible AlienInvasion, the Goodies decide to convince the aliens that humanity is a race of supermen! Cue the Goodies jumping into a row of phone booths and emerging in HeroicBuild and TheCape. Their efforts re this trope are [[HumansAreMorons less than convincing]].

* In The Abrahamic Religions [[note]]Judaism, Christianity, Islam[[/note]], Humans are the only living beings known to have been created in God's Image or to have souls that persist after Death. However this is downplayed as humanity is in no way superior to God and is [[HumansAreBastards by nature sinful and wicked]].
* In [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trinity Trinitarian]] Christianity takes it a step further. In these faiths, God is fully human in addition to being fully divine. This means that of all the living beings in creation, humanity is the only species that God is a member of.