--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Put a man in a cage with beasts and throw…" description: "\"“Put a man in a cage with beasts and throw away the key, and it’s usually not very long before the man is a beast himself.”\" — Ronald Cotton" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74d/ronald-cotton-76961_beasts_put-a-man-in-a-cage-with-beasts-and-thro_2977781.jpg" --- # Put a man in a cage with beasts and throw away the key… ![“Put a man in a cage with beasts and throw away the key, and it’s usually not very long before the man is a beast himself.” quote by Ronald Cotton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74d/ronald-cotton-76961_beasts_put-a-man-in-a-cage-with-beasts-and-thro_2977781.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74d/ronald-cotton-76961_beasts_put-a-man-in-a-cage-with-beasts-and-thro_2977781.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74d/ronald-cotton-76961_beasts_put-a-man-in-a-cage-with-beasts-and-thro_2977781.jpg) > ““Put a man in a cage with beasts and throw away the key, and it’s usually not very long before the man is a beast himself.”” Ronald Cotton ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Locking a man with beasts and removing the key quickly turns him into a beast. **In simple terms:** Isolation with beasts makes a man become a beast Key Takeaway Avoid isolating hostile influences without safeguards Themes psychology environment transformation Mood cautionary reflective Type psychological literary When to use this quote - workplace dynamics - social experiments Key Concepts Behavioral science prison reform Questions to Reflect On - What safeguards prevent dehumanization? - When does environment shape behavior? A Different Perspective Not all environments cause change ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cage/) ## Related quotes > [In this job it's like beasts of prey in a cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcelo-rios/in-this-job-it-s-like-beasts-of-prey-in-a-cage/) Marcelo Rios > [What for centuries raised man above the beast is not the cudgel but the irresistible power of unarmed truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-pasternak/what-for-centuries-raised-man-above-the-beast-is-not-the-cudgel-but/) [Boris Pasternak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-pasternak/) > [If the tongue had not been framed for articulation, man would still be a beast in the forest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/if-the-tongue-had-not-been-framed-for-articulation-man-would-still-be/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [“The facts are that an essential difference exists between man and beast. Human nature is sui generis; it has its own character and attributes.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-bavinck/the-facts-are-that-an-essential-difference-exists-between-man-and/) [Herman Bavinck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-bavinck/) > [You've got a man-beast, and a ho-beast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-jericho/you-ve-got-a-man-beast-and-a-ho-beast/) [Chris Jericho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-jericho/) > [His passion has aroused the best and the beast in man. And the beast waited for him in the kitchen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-white/his-passion-has-aroused-the-best-and-the-beast-in-man-and-the-beast/) [Theodore White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-white/) > [“there is little difference between man and beast, but what ambition and glory makes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duchess-of-newcastle-margaret-cavendish/there-is-little-difference-between-man-and-beast-but-what-ambition/) Duchess of Newcastle Margaret Cavendish > [Man is but a beast without it: such a glorious god is Learning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bhartrhari/man-is-but-a-beast-without-it-such-a-glorious-god-is-learning/) [Bhartrhari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bhartrhari/) > [Beast?" Jane murmured. "Then God make me a beast; for, man or beast, I am yours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-rice-burroughs/beast-jane-murmured-then-god-make-me-a-beast-for-man-or-beast-i-am/) [Edgar Rice Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-rice-burroughs/) > [Ain't fit for man nor beast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/ain-t-fit-for-man-nor-beast/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Why that's a colossal fib. I'm a very kind person. I've never hurt man, beast or child. Except when I had to. I belong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-c-fields-3/why-that-s-a-colossal-fib-i-m-a-very-kind-person-i-ve-never-hurt-man/) [W C Fields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-c-fields-3/) > [Man is evil, by nature man is a beast. People have to be educated from childhood, from kindergarten, that there should be no hatred.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marek-edelman/man-is-evil-by-nature-man-is-a-beast-people-have-to-be-educated-from/) Marek Edelman > [Though man is the only beast that can write, he has small reason to be proud of it. When he utters something that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-dahlberg/though-man-is-the-only-beast-that-can-write-he-has-small-reason-to-be/) [Edward Dahlberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-dahlberg/) > [O powerful love, that in some respects makes a beast a man, in some other, a man a beast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/o-powerful-love-that-in-some-respects-makes-a-beast-a-man-in-some/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [I think that if the beast who sleeps in man could be held down by threats of any kind, whether of jail or retribution,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-pasternak/i-think-that-if-the-beast-who-sleeps-in-man-could-be-held-down-by/) [Boris Pasternak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-pasternak/) ## More by Ronald Cotton > [“I picture him, in those few seconds in between the fences, a stoner grin on his face, high at the thought that freedom was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-cotton/i-picture-him-in-those-few-seconds-in-between-the-fences-a-stoner/) Ronald Cotton > [“You had to be free in your heart. Guilt, fear, anger—they were all their own kinds of prison. You could be out in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-cotton/you-had-to-be-free-in-your-heart-guilt-fear-anger-they-were-all-their/) Ronald Cotton Explore all 3 Ronald Cotton quotes ## More Beasts quotes > [I am writing to all the churches to let it be known that I will gladly die for God if only you do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ignatius-of-antioch/i-am-writing-to-all-the-churches-to-let-it-be-known-that-i-will/) [Ignatius of Antioch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ignatius-of-antioch/) > [What is it that distinguishes you and me from the lower animals - from the beasts? More, I say, than anything else, human sympathy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/what-is-it-that-distinguishes-you-and-me-from-the-lower-animals-from/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [Nature teaches beasts to know their friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/nature-teaches-beasts-to-know-their-friends/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“Beasts abstract not.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/beasts-abstract-not/) [John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/) > [“I've known humans, and I know beasts. The beast is better. It is unpretentious. It kills for food. Humans do 'cause they're just not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fakeer-ishavardas/i-ve-known-humans-and-i-know-beasts-the-beast-is-better-it-is/) [Fakeer Ishavardas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fakeer-ishavardas/) > [“Because even if we're strange and Cursed and Beasts, the people Above are monsters.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leah-bobet/because-even-if-we-re-strange-and-cursed-and-beasts-the-people-above/) [Leah Bobet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leah-bobet/) > [Of all animals, the outward form of the Lion is the most striking ; his look is bold and confident; his gait proud; and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-pinnock/of-all-animals-the-outward-form-of-the-lion-is-the-most-striking-his/) William Pinnock > [I thought the Invalids were beasts; I thought they would rip me apart. But these people saved me, and gave me the softest place…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/i-thought-the-invalids-were-beasts-i-thought-they-would-rip-me-apart/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [The commonwealth of Athens is become a forest of beasts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/the-commonwealth-of-athens-is-become-a-forest-of-beasts/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Mankind is poised midway between the gods and the beasts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plotinus/mankind-is-poised-midway-between-the-gods-and-the-beasts/) [Plotinus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plotinus/) > [“Love is the king of the beasts And when it gets hungry it must kill to eat Love is the king of the beasts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-callahan/love-is-the-king-of-the-beasts-and-when-it-gets-hungry-it-must-kill/) [Bill Callahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-callahan/) > [“The Kingdom of the Lion THE BEASTS of the field and forest had a Lion as their king. He was neither wrathful, cruel, nor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-kingdom-of-the-lion-the-beasts-of-the-field-and-forest-had-a-lion/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Every two weeks, a language dies. The world is diminished when it loses its human sayings, just as when it loses its diversity of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eduardo-galeano/every-two-weeks-a-language-dies-the-world-is-diminished-when-it-loses/) [Eduardo Galeano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eduardo-galeano/) > [“Men were beasts. Everyone knew that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-maguire/men-were-beasts-everyone-knew-that/) [Gregory Maguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-maguire/) > [When among wild beasts, if they menace you, be a wild beast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/when-among-wild-beasts-if-they-menace-you-be-a-wild-beast/) [Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) Browse all 189 Beasts quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Put a man in a cage with beasts and throw away the key, and it’s usually not very long before the man is a beast himself.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ronald Cotton" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-cotton/put-a-man-in-a-cage-with-beasts-and-throw-away-the-key-and-it-s/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Beasts" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-cotton/put-a-man-in-a-cage-with-beasts-and-throw-away-the-key-and-it-s/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74d/ronald-cotton-76961_beasts_put-a-man-in-a-cage-with-beasts-and-thro_2977781.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74d/ronald-cotton-76961_beasts_put-a-man-in-a-cage-with-beasts-and-thro_2977781.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74d/ronald-cotton-76961_beasts_put-a-man-in-a-cage-with-beasts-and-thro_2977781.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Put a man in a cage with beasts and throw away the key, and it’s usually not very long before the man is a…” — Ronald Cotton", "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": "Ronald Cotton", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-cotton/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Put a man in a cage...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-cotton/put-a-man-in-a-cage-with-beasts-and-throw-away-the-key-and-it-s/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-cotton/put-a-man-in-a-cage-with-beasts-and-throw-away-the-key-and-it-s/#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 } } ] } ```