Rabbi Chaim Brisker once observed a man riding his horse. He noticed that the man whipped the horse and the horse immediately obliged to do his rider's will he acted according to the whip. The Rav commented that if only the animal would have a little bit of sense, then he would know that he is way stronger than his master, and does not have to be afraid of the whip. However, he is after all only a horse, and therefore does not have the understanding that he can actually choose in which way to go.
Rabbi Chaim noted that this scene demonstrates the idea of the following verse in Tehillim: אָדָם בִּיקָר וְלֹא יָבִין נִמְשַׁל כַּבְּהֵמוֹת נִדְמוּ (תהלים מט כא). Meforshim interpret this possuk that when a man does not comprehend his value and does not think deeply about his ability to rise above his animalistic core, then indeed he becomes simply like a beast.