--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Man is not like other animals in the ways…" description: "\"Man is not like other animals in the ways that are really significant: Animals have instincts, we have taxes.\" — Erving Goffman" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c7/erving-goffman-18642_animal_man-is-not-like-other-animals-in-the-way_2481980.jpg" --- # Man is not like other animals in the ways that are really… ![“Man is not like other animals in the ways that are really significant: Animals have instincts, we have taxes.” quote by Erving Goffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c7/erving-goffman-18642_animal_man-is-not-like-other-animals-in-the-way_2481980.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c7/erving-goffman-18642_animal_man-is-not-like-other-animals-in-the-way_2481980.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c7/erving-goffman-18642_animal_man-is-not-like-other-animals-in-the-way_2481980.jpg) > “Man is not like other animals in the ways that are really significant: Animals have instincts, we have taxes.” [Erving Goffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erving-goffman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote contrasts human societal obligations, like taxes, with animal instincts, highlighting that humans are defined by complex social structures rather than pure biological drives. **In simple terms:** Humans are shaped by social systems, not just instincts. Key Takeaway Recognize the impact of societal obligations on behavior. Themes society structure human nature obligations instincts Mood critical analytical Type sociological philosophical When to use this quote - workplace - government policy - daily budgeting Key Concepts social contract cultural norms economic systems Questions to Reflect On - What obligations do taxes impose on personal freedom? - How do instincts still influence modern humans? A Different Perspective It may oversimplify animal behavior and ignore human instincts. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Animal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal/) [Animals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animals/) [Animals Instincts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animals-instincts-874015/) [Animals Ways](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animals-ways-874018/) [Environment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/environment/) [Income tax](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/income-tax/) [Instinct](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/instinct/) [Instincts Taxes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/instincts-taxes-874017/) [Like Animals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-animals/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Significant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/significant/) [Significant Animals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/significant-animals-874016/) [Taxes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taxes/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [There was an idea that God created man different from other animals, because man was rational and animals had drives and instincts. That idea…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-kandel/there-was-an-idea-that-god-created-man-different-from-other-animals/) [Eric Kandel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-kandel/) > [ Through our entire history we have become accustomed to pushing \[animals\] around in ways dictated by our own wants and needs without much regard… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-schmidt/through-our-entire-history-we-have-become-accustomed-to-pushing/) [Stanley Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-schmidt/) > [If there were no hell, we would be like the animals. 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Like, when your very best friend is surrounded by other people, she cares more about what everybody else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-hautman/people-in-groups-are-like-sheep-like-when-your-very-best-friend-is/) [Pete Hautman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-hautman/) > [If we cannot live entirely like human beings, at least let us do everything in our power not to live entirely like animals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/if-we-cannot-live-entirely-like-human-beings-at-least-let-us-do/) [Jose Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [“The heart is in darkness, unknowing, like those animals in mines that have never seen the day. It has no loyalties, no hopes; it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-salter/the-heart-is-in-darkness-unknowing-like-those-animals-in-mines-that/) [James Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-salter/) > [People should be more like animals . . . they should be more intuitive; they should not be too conscious of what they do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/people-should-be-more-like-animals-they-should-be-more-intuitive-they/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [When animals do something noble we say they are behaving ‘like humans’. When humans do something disgusting we say they are behaving ‘like animals’.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-wollen/when-animals-do-something-noble-we-say-they-are-behaving-like-humans/) [Philip Wollen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-wollen/) > [I don't like to see animals in pain. That was very uncomfortable to me. I don't like factory farming. I'm not an advocate for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-bourdain/i-don-t-like-to-see-animals-in-pain-that-was-very-uncomfortable-to-me/) [Anthony Bourdain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-bourdain/) > [My husband says I like animals more than I like people. I take that as the compliment he means it as.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tricia-helfer/my-husband-says-i-like-animals-more-than-i-like-people-i-take-that-as/) [Tricia Helfer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tricia-helfer/) > [“I don't know what you're talking about. I just like animals," Rafael said. "So does Sky, except he's kind of a hippie soulbonder about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-christo/i-don-t-know-what-you-re-talking-about-i-just-like-animals-rafael/) [Rose Christo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-christo/) > [We know from the truths of evolution and ecology that we are all related and interdependent. Anthropomorphism (crediting animals with human emotions and traits)…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-fox/we-know-from-the-truths-of-evolution-and-ecology-that-we-are-all/) [Michael Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-fox/) > [“I don't trust people who don't like animals. 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 Erving Goffman > [The term stigma and its synonyms conceal a double perspective: does the stigmatized individual assume his differentness is known about already or is evident…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erving-goffman/the-term-stigma-and-its-synonyms-conceal-a-double-perspective-does/) [Erving Goffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erving-goffman/) > [The routines of social intercourse in established settings allow us to deal with anticipated others without special attention or thought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erving-goffman/the-routines-of-social-intercourse-in-established-settings-allow-us/) [Erving Goffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erving-goffman/) > [“In reviewing his own moral career, the stigmatized individual may single out and retrospectively elaborate experiences which serve for him to account for his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erving-goffman/in-reviewing-his-own-moral-career-the-stigmatized-individual-may/) [Erving Goffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erving-goffman/) > [“When an individual becomes over-involved in a topic of conversation, others are drawn from the talk to the talker. One man's eagerness is another…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erving-goffman/when-an-individual-becomes-over-involved-in-a-topic-of-conversation/) [Erving Goffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erving-goffman/) > [“The more there is about the individual that deviates in an undesirable direction from what might have been expected to be true of him,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erving-goffman/the-more-there-is-about-the-individual-that-deviates-in-an/) [Erving Goffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erving-goffman/) > [The self... is not an organic thing that has a specific location, whose fundamental fate is to be born, to mature, to die; it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erving-goffman/the-self-is-not-an-organic-thing-that-has-a-specific-location-whose/) [Erving Goffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erving-goffman/) > [The stigmatized individual is asked to act so as to imply neither that his burden is heavy nor that bearing it has made him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erving-goffman/the-stigmatized-individual-is-asked-to-act-so-as-to-imply-neither/) [Erving Goffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erving-goffman/) > [There is a close meshing with the ritual properties of persons and with the egocentric forms of territoriality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erving-goffman/there-is-a-close-meshing-with-the-ritual-properties-of-persons-and/) [Erving Goffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erving-goffman/) > [“The act of staring is a thing which one does not ordinarily do to another human being; it seems to put the object stared…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erving-goffman/the-act-of-staring-is-a-thing-which-one-does-not-ordinarily-do-to/) [Erving Goffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erving-goffman/) > [All the world is not, of course, a stage, but the crucial ways in which it isn’t are not easy to specify](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erving-goffman/all-the-world-is-not-of-course-a-stage-but-the-crucial-ways-in-which/) [Erving Goffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erving-goffman/) > [“Morning and lunchtime are times when anyone can appear alone almost anywhere without this giving evidence of how the person is faring in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erving-goffman/morning-and-lunchtime-are-times-when-anyone-can-appear-alone-almost/) [Erving Goffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erving-goffman/) > [“Although the pictures shown here cannot be taken as representative of gender behavior in real life... one can probably make a significant negative statement…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erving-goffman/although-the-pictures-shown-here-cannot-be-taken-as-representative-of/) [Erving Goffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erving-goffman/) > [The normal and the stigmatized are not persons, but perspectives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erving-goffman/the-normal-and-the-stigmatized-are-not-persons-but-perspectives/) [Erving Goffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erving-goffman/) > [“...the issue becomes not whether a person has experience with a stigma of his own, because he has, but rather how many varieties he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erving-goffman/the-issue-becomes-not-whether-a-person-has-experience-with-a-stigma/) [Erving Goffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erving-goffman/) > [A performer may be taken in by his own act, convinced at the moment that the impression of reality which he fosters is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erving-goffman/a-performer-may-be-taken-in-by-his-own-act-convinced-at-the-moment/) [Erving Goffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erving-goffman/) [Explore all 34 Erving Goffman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erving-goffman/) ## More Animal quotes > [I was 3-years-old - to this day it is a vivid memory. My family and I were on a boat, catching fish. As one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joaquin-phoenix/i-was-3-years-old-to-this-day-it-is-a-vivid-memory-my-family-and-i/) [Joaquin Phoenix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joaquin-phoenix/) > [Animals know nothing of themselves, and they also know nothing of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/animals-know-nothing-of-themselves-and-they-also-know-nothing-of-the/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Humans are animals too, but some do not like to work from expectations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/humans-are-animals-too-but-some-do-not-like-to-work-from-expectations/) [Mak\_786](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mak-786/) > [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'm 38 and I'm single, and I'm having my most intense and gratifying relationship with a dog. But we all learn about love in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-knapp/i-m-38-and-i-m-single-and-i-m-having-my-most-intense-and-gratifying/) [Caroline Knapp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-knapp/) > [Practically all animals which move fast in a homogeneous medium have found means of giving their body a streamlined shape, thereby reducing friction to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/konrad-lorenz/practically-all-animals-which-move-fast-in-a-homogeneous-medium-have/) [Konrad Lorenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/konrad-lorenz/) > [A horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/a-horse-a-horse-my-kingdom-for-a-horse/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“it is a federal system of sadistic torture, vivisection, and animal genocide, which has been carried on for decades under the fraudulent guise of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-tobias/it-is-a-federal-system-of-sadistic-torture-vivisection-and-animal/) [Michael Tobias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-tobias/) > [“What does it mean to be a self-conscious animal? The idea is ludicrous, if it is not monstrous. It means to know that one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-becker/what-does-it-mean-to-be-a-self-conscious-animal-the-idea-is-ludicrous/) [Ernest Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-becker/) > [We must love animals in such a powerful way that we should reject to eat them!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/we-must-love-animals-in-such-a-powerful-way-that-we-should-reject-to/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“The universe contains any amount of horrible ways to be woken up, such as the noise of the mob breaking down the front door,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-universe-contains-any-amount-of-horrible-ways-to-be-woken-up-such/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [This brings me back to the image of Kafka standing before a fish in the Berlin aquarium, a fish on which his gaze fell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/this-brings-me-back-to-the-image-of-kafka-standing-before-a-fish-in/) [Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/) > [That dog, I say that dog is lower than a snake full of buckshot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/foghorn-leghorn/that-dog-i-say-that-dog-is-lower-than-a-snake-full-of-buckshot/) [Foghorn Leghorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/foghorn-leghorn/) > [I bet plants go like 'Weeeeeeeee!' whenever they're swallowed by a giraffe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-bet-plants-go-like-weeeeeeeee-whenever-they-re-swallowed-by-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Animal rights without veganism is like human rights with slavery. 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": "Man is not like other animals in the ways that are really significant: Animals have instincts, we have taxes.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Erving Goffman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erving-goffman/man-is-not-like-other-animals-in-the-ways-that-are-really-significant/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Animal" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erving-goffman/man-is-not-like-other-animals-in-the-ways-that-are-really-significant/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c7/erving-goffman-18642_animal_man-is-not-like-other-animals-in-the-way_2481980.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c7/erving-goffman-18642_animal_man-is-not-like-other-animals-in-the-way_2481980.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c7/erving-goffman-18642_animal_man-is-not-like-other-animals-in-the-way_2481980.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Man is not like other animals in the ways that are really significant: Animals have instincts, we have taxes.” — Erving Goffman", "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": "Erving Goffman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erving-goffman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Man is not like other animals...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erving-goffman/man-is-not-like-other-animals-in-the-ways-that-are-really-significant/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erving-goffman/man-is-not-like-other-animals-in-the-ways-that-are-really-significant/#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 } } ] } ```