--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Don’t call humans rats—rats are superior." description: "\"“Don’t call humans rats—rats are superior.”\" — Christina Stead" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/765/christina-stead-2325_humans_don-t-call-humans-rats-rats-are-superior_119258.png" --- # Don’t call humans rats—rats are superior. ![“Don’t call humans rats—rats are superior.” quote by Christina Stead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/765/christina-stead-2325_humans_don-t-call-humans-rats-rats-are-superior_119258.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/765/christina-stead-2325_humans_don-t-call-humans-rats-rats-are-superior_119258.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/765/christina-stead-2325_humans_don-t-call-humans-rats-rats-are-superior_119258.png) > ““Don’t call humans rats—rats are superior.”” [Christina Stead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-stead/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker provocatively claims that humans are inferior to rats, flipping the usual hierarchy. **In simple terms:** Humans are called inferior to rats. Key Takeaway Challenge conventional species superiority. Themes species hierarchy satire philosophy Mood playful provocative Type satire philosophical When to use this quote - environmental ethics debates - animal rights discussions - humorous social commentary Key Concepts ethical relativism Practical Applications - use satire to question anthropocentrism - reflect on human impact versus other species Questions to Reflect On - What assumptions underlie human superiority? - How does satire affect our view of species value? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Humans Rats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans-rats-1395431/) [Rats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rats/) [Rats Rats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rats-rats-1395432/) [Rats Superior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rats-superior-1395430/) [Superior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/superior/) ## Related quotes > [Rats. Rats, mice, and rodents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-ferris/rats-rats-mice-and-rodents/) [Jean Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-ferris/) > [“Humans. Rats have bigger hearts. Roaches have kinder souls. Flies have-”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-applegate/humans-rats-have-bigger-hearts-roaches-have-kinder-souls-flies-have/) [Katherine Applegate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-applegate/) > [He looked exactly like a rat. Like the human being version of a rat. Like the villain in a Don Bluth movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/he-looked-exactly-like-a-rat-like-the-human-being-version-of-a-rat/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) > [Freedom - to walk free and own no superior.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-whitman/freedom-to-walk-free-and-own-no-superior/) [Walt Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-whitman/) > [Therefore the superior man is watchful over himself, when he is alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/therefore-the-superior-man-is-watchful-over-himself-when-he-is-alone/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [When people laugh at you, Thats the point you are superior.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gulshan-agarwal/when-people-laugh-at-you-thats-the-point-you-are-superior/) [Gulshan Agarwal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gulshan-agarwal/) > [This point seems counter-intuitive, given the amount of conspicuous vulgarity, vice, and immorality in America. Indeed some Islamic fundamentalists argue that their regimes are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dinesh-d-souza/this-point-seems-counter-intuitive-given-the-amount-of-conspicuous/) [Dinesh D'Souza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dinesh-d-souza/) > [If Romney explains why where we are with Obama is unacceptable, why whither we are tending is even worse - and why his own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-kristol/if-romney-explains-why-where-we-are-with-obama-is-unacceptable-why/) [Bill Kristol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-kristol/) > [The superior man does not, even for the space of a single meal, act contrary to virtue. In moments of haste, he cleaves to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/the-superior-man-does-not-even-for-the-space-of-a-single-meal-act/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Every man is my superior in that I may learn from him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/every-man-is-my-superior-in-that-i-may-learn-from-him/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [“When we suffer for a greater cause, we are transformed into a superior human being.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/awdhesh-singh/when-we-suffer-for-a-greater-cause-we-are-transformed-into-a-superior/) [Awdhesh Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/awdhesh-singh/) > [I think the first villain that I ever played was on 'Stargate'. I was this superior being that would take over a human host…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-durand/i-think-the-first-villain-that-i-ever-played-was-on-stargate-i-was/) [Kevin Durand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-durand/) > [I have huge regard for women because I find them a far superior species than men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arshad-warsi/i-have-huge-regard-for-women-because-i-find-them-a-far-superior/) [Arshad Warsi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arshad-warsi/) > [“You are not superior to anyone, yet no one surpasses you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michella-augusta/you-are-not-superior-to-anyone-yet-no-one-surpasses-you/) [Michella Augusta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michella-augusta/) > [Defense is superior to opulence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-smith/defense-is-superior-to-opulence/) [Adam Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-smith/) ## More by Christina Stead > [Charm is a cunning self-forgetfulness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-stead/charm-is-a-cunning-self-forgetfulness/) [Christina Stead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-stead/) > [“It is splendid—to be—loved! If we only—can—live up—to the thoughts—of us—by them—that love us!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-stead/it-is-splendid-to-be-loved-if-we-only-can-live-up-to-the-thoughts-of/) [Christina Stead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-stead/) > [“I’m afraid to write to your father: he criticizes my spelling,” sneered Henny. “And it appears I know nothing about geography. Hang his stuck-up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-stead/i-m-afraid-to-write-to-your-father-he-criticizes-my-spelling-sneered/) [Christina Stead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-stead/) > [“you do not know what she did not only to me but to the little children. She has tortured them, turned them against me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-stead/you-do-not-know-what-she-did-not-only-to-me-but-to-the-little/) [Christina Stead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-stead/) > [To me, all the juice of a book is in an unpublished manuscript, and the published book is like a dead tree - just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-stead/to-me-all-the-juice-of-a-book-is-in-an-unpublished-manuscript-and-the/) [Christina Stead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-stead/) > [“Hair under the arms, for example, he said, should never be removed, for nature had put it there, and evidently it had some use.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-stead/hair-under-the-arms-for-example-he-said-should-never-be-removed-for/) [Christina Stead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-stead/) > [About myself - no. I'm unimportant, an observer, a wandering animal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-stead/about-myself-no-i-m-unimportant-an-observer-a-wandering-animal/) [Christina Stead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-stead/) > [“A month before our marriage, I knew it would be a well-nigh hopeless union, yet so great is a young man’s idea of what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-stead/a-month-before-our-marriage-i-knew-it-would-be-a-well-nigh-hopeless/) [Christina Stead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-stead/) > [“For a moment, after years of scamping, she felt the dread power of wifehood; they were locked in each other’s grasp till the end—the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-stead/for-a-moment-after-years-of-scamping-she-felt-the-dread-power-of/) [Christina Stead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-stead/) > [Socialist writers are made of sterner stuff than those who only let their characters steeplechase through trouble in order to comeout first in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-stead/socialist-writers-are-made-of-sterner-stuff-than-those-who-only-let/) [Christina Stead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-stead/) > [“Whatever men say, women know;”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-stead/whatever-men-say-women-know/) [Christina Stead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-stead/) > [“she is never more herself than when she destroys herself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-stead/she-is-never-more-herself-than-when-she-destroys-herself/) [Christina Stead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-stead/) > [Each Australian is a Ulysses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-stead/each-australian-is-a-ulysses/) [Christina Stead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-stead/) > [A dominant race did not lie, because it had the whip.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-stead/a-dominant-race-did-not-lie-because-it-had-the-whip/) [Christina Stead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-stead/) > [“Tolstoy said that “each unhappy family is unhappy in a way of its own—”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-stead/tolstoy-said-that-each-unhappy-family-is-unhappy-in-a-way-of-its-own/) [Christina Stead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-stead/) [Explore all 171 Christina Stead quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-stead/) ## More Humans quotes > [Entertainment is a sacred pursuit when done well. When done well, it raises the quality of human life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/entertainment-is-a-sacred-pursuit-when-done-well-when-done-well-it/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [It is said that history turns on small hinges. A human career, too, results from an accumulating series of decisions about large and small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/it-is-said-that-history-turns-on-small-hinges-a-human-career-too/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [There is no human nature, since there is no god to conceive it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/there-is-no-human-nature-since-there-is-no-god-to-conceive-it/) [Jean-Paul Sartre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-sartre/) > [The prophet who fails to present a bearable alternative and yet preaches doom is part of the trap that he postulates. Not only does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/the-prophet-who-fails-to-present-a-bearable-alternative-and-yet/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [Nothing is so powerful as an insight into human nature... what compulsions drive a man, what instincts dominate his action. 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To insist that science, or God, objectively defines moral values is to abandon our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenan-malik/humans-are-as-sartre-put-it-condemned-to-be-free-to-insist-that/) [Kenan Malik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenan-malik/) > [Human beings have an innate inner drive to be autonomous, self-determined, and connected to one another. And when that drive is liberated, people achieve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-h-pink/human-beings-have-an-innate-inner-drive-to-be-autonomous-self/) [Daniel H. Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-h-pink/) > [Half the misery of human life might be extinguished if men would alleviate the general curse they lie under by mutual offices of compassion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/half-the-misery-of-human-life-might-be-extinguished-if-men-would/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [During human progress, every science is evolved out of its corresponding art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/during-human-progress-every-science-is-evolved-out-of-its/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [When grubbing for necessities man is still an animal. He becomes uniquely human when he reaches out for the superfluous and extravagant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/when-grubbing-for-necessities-man-is-still-an-animal-he-becomes/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [I think the next 50 years are going to present the human race with challenges that so far exceed the limitations of geopolitical boundaries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zachary-quinto/i-think-the-next-50-years-are-going-to-present-the-human-race-with/) [Zachary Quinto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zachary-quinto/) > [A Light exists in Spring Not present on the Year At any other period - When March is scarcely here A Color stands abroad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-dickinson/a-light-exists-in-spring-not-present-on-the-year-at-any-other-period/) [Emily Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-dickinson/) [Browse all 32,126 Humans quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Don’t call humans rats—rats are superior.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Christina Stead" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-stead/don-t-call-humans-rats-rats-are-superior/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Humans" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-stead/don-t-call-humans-rats-rats-are-superior/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/765/christina-stead-2325_humans_don-t-call-humans-rats-rats-are-superior_119258.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/765/christina-stead-2325_humans_don-t-call-humans-rats-rats-are-superior_119258.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/765/christina-stead-2325_humans_don-t-call-humans-rats-rats-are-superior_119258.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Don’t call humans rats—rats are superior.” — Christina Stead", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Christina Stead", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-stead/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Don’t call humans rats—rats are superior.”", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-stead/don-t-call-humans-rats-rats-are-superior/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-stead/don-t-call-humans-rats-rats-are-superior/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```