--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Man is neither unique nor central nor…" description: "\"“Man is neither unique nor central nor necessarily here to stay. But he is a product of circumstances special to the point of disbelief. And if man in ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/408/robert-ardrey-17947_inspirational-quotes_man-is-neither-unique-nor-central-nor-ne_1590218.jpg" --- # Man is neither unique nor central nor necessarily here to… ![“Man is neither unique nor central nor necessarily here to stay. But he is a product of circumstances special to the point of disbelief. And if man in his current predicament seeks a fair mystique to see him through, then I can only suggest that he consider his genes. For they are marked. They are…” quote by Robert Ardrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/408/robert-ardrey-17947_inspirational-quotes_man-is-neither-unique-nor-central-nor-ne_1590218.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/408/robert-ardrey-17947_inspirational-quotes_man-is-neither-unique-nor-central-nor-ne_1590218.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/408/robert-ardrey-17947_inspirational-quotes_man-is-neither-unique-nor-central-nor-ne_1590218.jpg) > ““Man is neither unique nor central nor necessarily here to stay. But he is a product of circumstances special to the point of disbelief. And if man in his current predicament seeks a fair mystique to see him through, then I can only suggest that he consider his genes. For they are marked. They are graven by luck beyond explanation. They are stamped by forces that we shall never know. But even so, in the hieroglyph of the human emergence certain symbols must stand for all to read: Change is the elixir of the human circumstance, and acceptance of challenge the way of our kind. We are bad-weather animals, disaster’s fairest children. For the soundest of evolutionary reasons man appears at his best when times are worst.”” [Robert Ardrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-ardrey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human existence is shaped by chance and genetics; change is essential, and challenges define us, especially in adversity. **In simple terms:** Life is shaped by luck and genes; change and challenges matter. Key Takeaway Embrace change and challenges as growth opportunities. Themes change genetics adversity human nature Mood thoughtful inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - personal crisis - career setbacks - climate disaster response Key Concepts evolutionary biology philosophical determinism Questions to Reflect On - How much control do we truly have over our destiny? - Can we overcome genetic predispositions? A Different Perspective Emphasizing genetics may downplay personal agency. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Evolutionary Reasons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evolutionary-reasons-856051/) [Hieroglyph Human](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hieroglyph-human-6025664/) [Human Circumstance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-circumstance-3585365/) [Human Emergence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-emergence-6025663/) [Inspirational quotes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational-quotes/) [Man Unique](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-unique-355623/) [Tough-times-quotes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tough-times-quotes/) ## Related quotes > [For the soundest of evolutionary reasons man appears at his best when times are worst.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-ardrey/for-the-soundest-of-evolutionary-reasons-man-appears-at-his-best-when/) [Robert Ardrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-ardrey/) > [“Hands, teeth, gut, thoughts even, were all simply more or less convenient to human circumstance, as my father was receding from human circumstance, so,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-harding/hands-teeth-gut-thoughts-even-were-all-simply-more-or-less-convenient/) [Paul Harding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-harding/) > [The blues is an art of ambiguity, an assertion of the irrepressibly human over all circumstance whether created by others or by one's own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-ellison/the-blues-is-an-art-of-ambiguity-an-assertion-of-the-irrepressibly-2/) [Ralph Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-ellison/) > [There are very good evolutionary reasons for having religion. From early human history we have evolved a need to see God. We have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-trigell/there-are-very-good-evolutionary-reasons-for-having-religion-from/) [Jonathan Trigell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-trigell/) > [“There are good evolutionary reasons why our memories fail us in the specific ways they do. If everything we looked at, smelled, heard, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-are-good-evolutionary-reasons-why-our-memories-fail-us-in-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Sometimes, new tasks and challenges come to reveal a new you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-dzifah-tamakloe/sometimes-new-tasks-and-challenges-come-to-reveal-a-new-you/) [Deborah Dzifah Tamakloe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-dzifah-tamakloe/) > [“Wallowing in self-pity hurts no one except you. 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If so, grab a needle and thread , and learn how to sew.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-szymanski/feel-like-you-are-falling-apart-at-the-seams-if-so-grab-a-needle-and/) [Christine Szymanski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-szymanski/) > [“When faced with a tough decision, put your emotions aside, think victory thoughts, and try to envision how you want to end up when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/when-faced-with-a-tough-decision-put-your-emotions-aside-think/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) ## More by Robert Ardrey > [The city is a cultural invention enforcing on the citizen knowledge of his own nature. And this we do not like. That we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-ardrey/the-city-is-a-cultural-invention-enforcing-on-the-citizen-knowledge/) [Robert Ardrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-ardrey/) > [Do you care about freedom? Dreams may have inspired it, and wishes prompted it, but only war and weapons have made it yours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-ardrey/do-you-care-about-freedom-dreams-may-have-inspired-it-and-wishes/) [Robert Ardrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-ardrey/) > [If you watch lizards and lions copulating, then you will see that in 200 million years the male has not had a single new idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-ardrey/if-you-watch-lizards-and-lions-copulating-then-you-will-see-that-in/) [Robert Ardrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-ardrey/) > [The dog barking at you from behind his master's fence acts for a motive indistinguishable from that of his master when the fence was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-ardrey/the-dog-barking-at-you-from-behind-his-master-s-fence-acts-for-a/) [Robert Ardrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-ardrey/) > [Not in innocence, and not in Asia, was mankind born. 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Perhaps the death of the hunter will be the long monument to interglacial man. We denied a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-ardrey/the-hunter-died-when-he-achieved-supremacy-perhaps-the-death-of-the/) [Robert Ardrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-ardrey/) > [The miracle of man is not how far he has sunk but how magnificently he has risen. We are known among the stars by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-ardrey/the-miracle-of-man-is-not-how-far-he-has-sunk-but-how-magnificently-2/) [Robert Ardrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-ardrey/) > [Human war has been the most successful of our cultural traditions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-ardrey/human-war-has-been-the-most-successful-of-our-cultural-traditions/) [Robert Ardrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-ardrey/) > [Natural selection deals ruthlessly with any population, bird or beaver, which fails to solve the problems of its environment with all those resources, learned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-ardrey/natural-selection-deals-ruthlessly-with-any-population-bird-or-beaver/) [Robert Ardrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-ardrey/) > [There is nothing so moving - not even acts of love or hate - as the discovery that one is not alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-ardrey/there-is-nothing-so-moving-not-even-acts-of-love-or-hate-as-the/) [Robert Ardrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-ardrey/) > [Man is a fraction of the animal world. Our history is an afterthought, no more, tacked to an infinite calender. We are not so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-ardrey/man-is-a-fraction-of-the-animal-world-our-history-is-an-afterthought/) [Robert Ardrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-ardrey/) > [Far from the truth lay the antique assumption that man had fathered the weapon. The weapon, instead, had fathered man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-ardrey/far-from-the-truth-lay-the-antique-assumption-that-man-had-fathered/) [Robert Ardrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-ardrey/) > [A bird does not fly because it has wings; it has wings because it flies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-ardrey/a-bird-does-not-fly-because-it-has-wings-it-has-wings-because-it-flies/) [Robert Ardrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-ardrey/) [Explore all 36 Robert Ardrey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-ardrey/) ## More Inspirational quotes quotes > [I have learned that you can go anywhere you want to go and do anything you want to do and buy all the things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-joybell-c-2/i-have-learned-that-you-can-go-anywhere-you-want-to-go-and-do/) [C JoyBell C](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-joybell-c-2/) > [“Listen to your heart and trust the direction you are being pulled. Something inside you already know what to do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spring-washam/listen-to-your-heart-and-trust-the-direction-you-are-being-pulled/) [Spring Washam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spring-washam/) > [“I take my actions because of my passion not because of compulsion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/i-take-my-actions-because-of-my-passion-not-because-of-compulsion/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [“If you seek success, serve others. If you seek immortality give. Serve or give your time, skills, talent or gift. In the end, what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-uchendu/if-you-seek-success-serve-others-if-you-seek-immortality-give-serve/) [Val Uchendu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-uchendu/) > [“The only thing that belongs to us is our LIFE. Yet, we waste it in the pursuit of meaningless things that will never belong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rvm/the-only-thing-that-belongs-to-us-is-our-life-yet-we-waste-it-in-the/) [RVM](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rvm/) > [“Live your dreams. Breathe your dreams. Never give up on your dreams.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avijeet-das/live-your-dreams-breathe-your-dreams-never-give-up-on-your-dreams/) [Avijeet Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avijeet-das/) > [“It is not so much about fighting against the ego; it is more about harmonizing with it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-sara/it-is-not-so-much-about-fighting-against-the-ego-it-is-more-about/) [Grace Sara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-sara/) > [“A hero is not know by the number of battles he has won, but rather by the kind of battles he chooses to fight.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tonny-k-brown/a-hero-is-not-know-by-the-number-of-battles-he-has-won-but-rather-by/) [Tonny K. Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tonny-k-brown/) > [“Failing to meet your true destiny is a tragic act of free will.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthon-st-maarten/failing-to-meet-your-true-destiny-is-a-tragic-act-of-free-will/) [Anthon St. Maarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthon-st-maarten/) > [“As long as we’re breathing, we have a chance to start over and build a stable future.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-ha-campbell/as-long-as-we-re-breathing-we-have-a-chance-to-start-over-and-build-a/) [Kim Ha Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-ha-campbell/) > [“A Beautiful verse takes birth when "U"n"I" VERSE.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajesh-walecha/a-beautiful-verse-takes-birth-when-u-n-i-verse/) [Rajesh Walecha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajesh-walecha/) > [“There is no born evil, only a corruptible canvas darkened by a formidable perpetrator.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yefon-isabelle/there-is-no-born-evil-only-a-corruptible-canvas-darkened-by-a/) [Yefon Isabelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yefon-isabelle/) > [“Today if anything is trying to hold you back, give no attention to it. 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