We never stop investigating. We are never satisfied that we know enough to get by. Every question we answer leads on to another question. This has become the greatest survival trick of our species.
Desmond MorrisRead
...In little more than a single century from 1820 to 19450, no less than fifty-nine million human animals were killed in inter-group clashes of one sort or another.... We describe these killings as men behaving "like animals," but if we could find a wild animal that showed signs of acting this way, it would be more precise to describe it as behaving like men.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote critiques human violence by comparing it to animal behavior, suggesting that true animal behavior is not as destructive as human actions.
Desmond Morris highlights the paradox of human violence by pointing out that, despite often labeling violent humans as 'acting like animals,' it is actually human nature that displays this aggression. He emphasizes the irony that if animals were to behave in such a manner, it would be more appropriate to describe them as 'acting like men,' suggesting that our capacity for violence is a distinguishing and troubling trait of humanity.
Themes
ViolenceHuman NatureAnimal BehaviorIronyAggression
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a speech about the effects of war on society.
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