Business Quote by Desmond Morris
““...of eighteen kittens reared in the company of rodents, only three became rodent-killers later on. The other fifteen could not be trained to kill later by seeing other cats killing. For them the rodents had become 'family' and were no longer 'prey'. Even the three killers would not attack rodents of the same species as the one with which they were reared.””
About This Quote
Source Book: The Naked Ape, 1970
Early social exposure shapes predatory behavior; those raised with rodents see them as kin, not prey, limiting later aggression.
In simple terms: Early experiences determine later behavior toward others.
Key Takeaway
Consider early influences on behavior.
Themes
animal behavior
social learning
predation
developmental psychology
Mood
analytical
insightful
thoughtful
Type
advice
philosophical
When to use this quote
- pet training
- wildlife conservation
- child upbringing
- team dynamics
- marketing targeting
Key Concepts
imprinting
behavioral conditioning
species recognition
Questions to Reflect On
- How does early social context affect later aggression?
- Can later experiences override early imprinting?
A Different Perspective
Not all learned behaviors are easily changed later.
![“If the State does not acquire supremacy over [vast private] enterprises, it becomes their puppet, and they become the real State.” quote by Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/bad/bertrand-russell-69_acquire_if-the-state-does-not-acquire-supremacy_1379.jpg)
![“[S]ometimes, when you are a food person, the possible irrelevance of what you are doing doesn’t cross your mind until it’s too late. (Once, for example, when I was just starting out in the food business, I was hired by the caper people to develop a lot of recipes using capers, and it was weeks of…” quote by Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d79/nora-ephron-1217_business_s-ometimes-when-you-are-a-food-person-th_980.jpg)
