--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Try repeating “man is an animal\" a few…" description: "\"“Try repeating “man is an animal\" a few times, just to notice how unconvincing it sounds. There seems to be no way to get this idea into our heads, exc..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a5/becker-ernest-86902_animal_try-repeating-man-is-an-animal-a-few-tim_3051537.jpg" --- # Try repeating “man is an animal" a few times, just to… ![“Try repeating “man is an animal" a few times, just to notice how unconvincing it sounds. There seems to be no way to get this idea into our heads, except by long rumination over the facts of evolution or perhaps by exposure to a primitive tribe or by being raised on a farm. Primitives sometimes…” quote by Becker Ernest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a5/becker-ernest-86902_animal_try-repeating-man-is-an-animal-a-few-tim_3051537.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a5/becker-ernest-86902_animal_try-repeating-man-is-an-animal-a-few-tim_3051537.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a5/becker-ernest-86902_animal_try-repeating-man-is-an-animal-a-few-tim_3051537.jpg) > ““Try repeating “man is an animal" a few times, just to notice how unconvincing it sounds. There seems to be no way to get this idea into our heads, except by long rumination over the facts of evolution or perhaps by exposure to a primitive tribe or by being raised on a farm. Primitives sometimes see little difference between themselves and the animals around them. Karl von den Steinen was told by a Xingu that the only difference between them and the monkey was that they monkeys lacked the bow and arrow. And Jules Henry observed on the Kningang that dogs are not considered pets, like some of the other animals, but are on a level of emotional equality, like a relative. But in our own Western culture we have, for the most part, set a great distance between ourselves and the rest of nature, and language helps us to do this. Thus we say that a sheep “drops" its lamb, but a woman “gives birth"—it’s much more noble. Yet we have the right to make such distinctions because we assign the meaning to the world by naming names of things; we inhabit a different sphere and we capitalize naturally on the privilege.”” [Becker Ernest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becker-ernest/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human language creates a psychological distance from animals, making us view ourselves as superior and separate from nature. **In simple terms:** Language makes us feel apart from animals. Key Takeaway Recognize and question the language that separates us from nature. Themes human nature language psychology anthropology culture Mood reflective critical thoughtful Type philosophical observational analytical When to use this quote - education - environmental policy - cross‑cultural research - personal reflection Key Concepts symbolic separation social constructs anthropocentrism Questions to Reflect On - How does the words you use shape your view of non‑human life? - Can changing language alter your relationship with nature? A Different Perspective Language can reinforce harmful hierarchies and justify exploitation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Animal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal/) [Animals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animals/) [Difference Animals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difference-animals-1411641/) [Difference Monkey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difference-monkey-5077406/) [Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/henry/) [Like Animals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-animals-344440/) [Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man/) [Man Animal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-animal-241296/) [Primitive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/primitive/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Western culture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/western-culture/) ## Related quotes > [The only difference between us and the animals is our ability to accessorize!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harling/the-only-difference-between-us-and-the-animals-is-our-ability-to/) [Robert Harling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harling/) > [The difference between animals and humans is that animals change themselves for the environment, but humans change the environment for themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/the-difference-between-animals-and-humans-is-that-animals-change/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [Just a difference Between in me And animals are \| I yelled to the world can tell that I'm in trouble \| animal wishing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/just-a-difference-between-in-me-and-animals-are-i-yelled-to-the-world/) [Mak\_786](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mak-786/) > [Animals on factory farms all face pain and fear, just like the animals we share our homes with, yet are repeatedly abused in shocking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-dinklage/animals-on-factory-farms-all-face-pain-and-fear-just-like-the-animals/) [Peter Dinklage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-dinklage/) > [“People in groups are like sheep. 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Hell, animals are the finest people I know.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-johnson/i-don-t-trust-people-who-don-t-like-animals-hell-animals-are-the/) [Craig Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-johnson/) > [I don't care how hot a girl is - if she doesn't like animals, it would be a major, major problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-somerhalder/i-don-t-care-how-hot-a-girl-is-if-she-doesn-t-like-animals-it-would/) [Ian Somerhalder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-somerhalder/) ## More by Becker Ernest > [“The only thing we accomplish by accenting the child’s constitution, his temperament, his natural dilemmas and his own synthesizing activity, is to take the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becker-ernest/the-only-thing-we-accomplish-by-accenting-the-child-s-constitution/) [Becker Ernest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becker-ernest/) > [“By the time we grow up we become masters at dissimulation, at cultivating a self that the world cannot probe. 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It makes no sense. None whatsoever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-l-francione/animal-rights-without-veganism-is-like-human-rights-with-slavery-it/) [Gary L. Francione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-l-francione/) [Browse all 13,456 Animal quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Try repeating “man is an animal\" a few times, just to notice how unconvincing it sounds. There seems to be no way to get this idea into our heads, except by long rumination over the facts of evolution or perhaps by exposure to a primitive tribe or by being raised on a farm. Primitives sometimes see little difference between themselves and the animals around them. Karl von den Steinen was told by a Xingu that the only difference between them and the monkey was that they monkeys lacked the bow and arrow. 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