--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My perception of the human animal is as…" description: "\"My perception of the human animal is as an extremely dangerous predator. That's who I perceive us to be as a species. Maybe the most dangerous predator..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce6/katherine-dunn-2693_admire_my-perception-of-the-human-animal-is-as_657281.png" --- # My perception of the human animal is as an extremely… ![“My perception of the human animal is as an extremely dangerous predator. That's who I perceive us to be as a species. Maybe the most dangerous predator on the planet, with the exception of a few microbes. I'm really grateful for the degree of socialization that prevents us, most of the time, from…” quote by Katherine Dunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce6/katherine-dunn-2693_admire_my-perception-of-the-human-animal-is-as_657281.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce6/katherine-dunn-2693_admire_my-perception-of-the-human-animal-is-as_657281.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce6/katherine-dunn-2693_admire_my-perception-of-the-human-animal-is-as_657281.png) > “My perception of the human animal is as an extremely dangerous predator. That's who I perceive us to be as a species. Maybe the most dangerous predator on the planet, with the exception of a few microbes. I'm really grateful for the degree of socialization that prevents us, most of the time, from killing and eating each other. And I admire all the social structures that have been designed and layered and niched in that encourage bonding toward a kind of social harmony that is meant to contain and counteract our natural inclinations toward predation, ferocity, and eating whatever moves.” [Katherine Dunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-dunn/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Humans are inherently predatory, but social structures curb our violent instincts, fostering cooperation. **In simple terms:** Humans are predators, but society restrains us. Key Takeaway Cultivate and that promote cooperation. Themes human nature society violence Mood thoughtful critical Type sociological psychological When to use this quote - community building - conflict resolution - policy design - education - media narratives Key Concepts predation socialization cooperation evolutionary psychology Questions to Reflect On - What social structures best limit predatory behavior? - How can we strengthen communal bonds? A Different Perspective Social mechanisms can fail, leading to conflict and inequality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Admire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/admire/) [Animal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal/) [Animals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animals/) [Dangerous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dangerous/) [Dangerous Predator](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dangerous-predator-5244137/) [Eating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eating/) [Exception](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exception/) [Grateful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grateful/) [Harmony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harmony/) [Human animal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-animal/) [Inclinations Predation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inclinations-predation-5244140/) [Killing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/killing/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [Moving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moving/) [Natural](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/natural/) [Nature of man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature-of-man/) [Perceive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perceive/) [Perceive Species](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perceive-species-5244138/) [Perception](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perception/) [Predation Ferocity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/predation-ferocity-5244139/) [Predator](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/predator/) [Predator Perceive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/predator-perceive-5244136/) [Social harmony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social-harmony/) ## Related quotes > [Believing that the rustle in the grass is a dangerous predator when it is only the wind does not cost much, but believing that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-shermer/believing-that-the-rustle-in-the-grass-is-a-dangerous-predator-when/) [Michael Shermer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-shermer/) > [I'm the world's most dangerous predator. Everything about me invites you in. My voice... My face... Even my smell. As if I'd need any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-the-world-s-most-dangerous-predator-everything-about-me-invites/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Only a few people seem to realize that social harmony and peace with nature, between people, and within the individual only can come about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fethullah-gulen/only-a-few-people-seem-to-realize-that-social-harmony-and-peace-with/) [Fethullah Gulen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fethullah-gulen/) > [“Some cultures, for instance, are collectivist; others are individualistic. Collectivist cultures, like Japan and other Confucian nations, value social harmony more than any one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-weiner/some-cultures-for-instance-are-collectivist-others-are/) [Eric Weiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-weiner/) > [We must know our own roles. 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Sionil Jose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-sionil-jos/) > [Anarchism is the great liberator of man from the phantoms that have held him captive; it is the arbiter and pacifier of the two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/anarchism-is-the-great-liberator-of-man-from-the-phantoms-that-have/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [We, Government Of India, Having Abiding Faith In Our Country's Tradition Of Non-Violence And Tolerance, Hereby Solemnly Affirm To To Oppose With Our Strength,All…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-government-of-india-having-abiding-faith-in-our-country-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [In my view, Reform and Opening Up began with the abandonment of the 'using class struggle as guiding principle' government policy of the Mao…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liu-xiaobo/in-my-view-reform-and-opening-up-began-with-the-abandonment-of-the/) [Liu Xiaobo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liu-xiaobo/) > [Between the Great Depression and the 1970s, private business was viewed with suspicion even in most capitalist economies. Businesses were, so the story goes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ha-joon-chang/between-the-great-depression-and-the-1970s-private-business-was/) [Ha-Joon Chang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ha-joon-chang/) > [When we no longer have good cooking in the world, we will have no literature, nor high and sharp intelligence, nor friendly gatherings, no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-antoine-careme/when-we-no-longer-have-good-cooking-in-the-world-we-will-have-no/) [Marie-Antoine Careme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-antoine-careme/) > [“True social harmony grows naturally out of solidarity of interests. In a society where those who always work never have anything, while those who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/true-social-harmony-grows-naturally-out-of-solidarity-of-interests-in/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [“Good quality health delivery systems with universal access protect individuals from illness, stimulate economic growth, and fight poverty by keeping people healthy. They also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-lancet/good-quality-health-delivery-systems-with-universal-access-protect/) [The Lancet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-lancet/) > [Among the features peculiar to the political system of the United States, is the perfect equality of rights which it secures to every religious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/among-the-features-peculiar-to-the-political-system-of-the-united/) [James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/) > [“The progress of the last 500 years shows us precisely what the good ideas are: social harmony, human rights, the aspiration of universal dignity,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-tucker/the-progress-of-the-last-500-years-shows-us-precisely-what-the-good/) [Jeffrey Tucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-tucker/) > [Order derived through submission and maintained by terror is not much of a safe guaranty; yet that is the only "order" that governments have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/order-derived-through-submission-and-maintained-by-terror-is-not-much/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) ## More by Katherine Dunn > [Though 'Fat City' was written long before cellphones or the Internet, its human apparatus is state of the art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-dunn/though-fat-city-was-written-long-before-cellphones-or-the-internet/) [Katherine Dunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-dunn/) > [A true freak cannot be made. A true freak must be born.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-dunn/a-true-freak-cannot-be-made-a-true-freak-must-be-born/) [Katherine Dunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-dunn/) > [I think genetic research is a fascinating and fertile area.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-dunn/i-think-genetic-research-is-a-fascinating-and-fertile-area/) [Katherine Dunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-dunn/) > [A boxing gym is a place where men are allowed to be kind to one another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-dunn/a-boxing-gym-is-a-place-where-men-are-allowed-to-be-kind-to-one/) [Katherine Dunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-dunn/) > [My own theory about the phlegmatic qualities and properties of the English is the mountain of pure white sugar hydrocarbons they consume every day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-dunn/my-own-theory-about-the-phlegmatic-qualities-and-properties-of-the/) [Katherine Dunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-dunn/) > [Sometimes we followed the crops, doing migrant labor. We did several years of tenant farming in Western Oregon starting in the early '50s. Later,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-dunn/sometimes-we-followed-the-crops-doing-migrant-labor-we-did-several/) [Katherine Dunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-dunn/) > [There should be unemployment insurance for fictional people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-dunn/there-should-be-unemployment-insurance-for-fictional-people/) [Katherine Dunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-dunn/) > [My handwriting was nothing to write home about, and I had this idea that calligraphy was like taking Latin in high school: that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-dunn/my-handwriting-was-nothing-to-write-home-about-and-i-had-this-idea/) [Katherine Dunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-dunn/) > [“There are those whose own vulgar normality is so apparent and stultifying that they strive to escape it. They affect flamboyant behavior and claim…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-dunn/there-are-those-whose-own-vulgar-normality-is-so-apparent-and/) [Katherine Dunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-dunn/) > [Only a lunatic would want to be president. These lunatics are created deliberately by those who wish to be presided over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-dunn/only-a-lunatic-would-want-to-be-president-these-lunatics-are-created/) [Katherine Dunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-dunn/) > [In a really good, closely matched situation, the style of the boxer is every bit as explicit and specific to him as a painter's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-dunn/in-a-really-good-closely-matched-situation-the-style-of-the-boxer-is/) [Katherine Dunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-dunn/) > [But the animation has become very good, and I think that a movie is not a book, and a book is not a movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-dunn/but-the-animation-has-become-very-good-and-i-think-that-a-movie-is/) [Katherine Dunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-dunn/) > [I'd always been fascinated by boxing and became very engaged with it through my husband, actually. But I started to write about it because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-dunn/i-d-always-been-fascinated-by-boxing-and-became-very-engaged-with-it/) [Katherine Dunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-dunn/) > [I thought that was actually kind of boring, that search for perfection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-dunn/i-thought-that-was-actually-kind-of-boring-that-search-for-perfection/) [Katherine Dunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-dunn/) > [American culture is torn between our long romance with violence and our terror of the devastation wrought by war and crime and environmental havoc.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-dunn/american-culture-is-torn-between-our-long-romance-with-violence-and/) [Katherine Dunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-dunn/) [Explore all 154 Katherine Dunn quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-dunn/) ## More Admire quotes > [Everyone will admire you when you do well. What a horrible thing to do to someone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/everyone-will-admire-you-when-you-do-well-what-a-horrible-thing-to-do/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [I admire Serena Williams, because, I mean, who doesn't admire Serena Williams?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johanna-konta/i-admire-serena-williams-because-i-mean-who-doesn-t-admire-serena/) [Johanna Konta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johanna-konta/) > [How proud I am to be compared to Oprah. I really admire her. She's a minority woman and she's done all this by herself...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristina-saralegui/how-proud-i-am-to-be-compared-to-oprah-i-really-admire-her-she-s-a/) [Cristina Saralegui](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristina-saralegui/) > [I admire President Obama's ability to trust strangers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-gutfeld/i-admire-president-obama-s-ability-to-trust-strangers/) [Greg Gutfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-gutfeld/) > [I really admire people's interactions with technology that aren't tech-centric but use it as a tool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-polachek/i-really-admire-people-s-interactions-with-technology-that-aren-t/) [Caroline Polachek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-polachek/) > [During my first years in the Sierra, I was ever calling on everybody within reach to admire them, but I found no one half…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-muir/during-my-first-years-in-the-sierra-i-was-ever-calling-on-everybody/) [John Muir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-muir/) > [Shaw's works make me admire the magnificent tolerance and broadmindedness of the english.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-joyce/shaw-s-works-make-me-admire-the-magnificent-tolerance-and/) [James Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-joyce/) > [It could be my British need for discipline that makes me admire the American appetite for freedom and passion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-winwood/it-could-be-my-british-need-for-discipline-that-makes-me-admire-the/) [Steve Winwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-winwood/) > [I believe in a world where there are no heroes, and I've read and know humanity a lot. 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