Such terrifying powers we possess, but what a sorry lot of…
““Such terrifying powers we possess, but what a sorry lot of gods some men are. And the worst of it is not the cruelty but the arrogance, the sheer hubris of those who bring only violence and fear into the animal world, as if it needed any more of either. Their lives entail enough frights and tribulations without the modern fire-makers, now armed with perfected, inescapable weapons, traipsing along for more fun and thrills at their expense even as so many of them die away. It is our fellow creatures' lot in the universe, the place assigned them in creation, to be completely at our mercy, the fiercest wolf or tiger defenseless against the most cowardly man. And to me it has always seemed not only ungenerous and shabby but a kind of supreme snobbery to deal cavalierly with them, as if their little share of the earth's happiness and grief were inconsequential, meaningless, beneath a man's attention, trumped by any and all designs he might have on them, however base, irrational, or wicked.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Powerful beings often misuse their strength, treating weaker creatures with cruelty and arrogance, forgetting the inherent value of all life.
In simple terms: The strong act cruelly toward the weak, driven by hubris.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and curb arrogance toward weaker beings.
Themes
ethics
power
humility
animal rights
hubris
Mood
reflective
critical
Type
philosophical
ethical
When to use this quote
- activism
- environmental policy
- education
- personal reflection
Key Concepts
moral philosophy
anthropocentrism
speciesism
Questions to Reflect On
- How does power corrupt our view of weaker beings?
- What responsibilities accompany strength?
A Different Perspective
Even the strong may claim moral superiority while causing harm.