What a wretched animal you are!
You call yourself the apex of creation, that you have reason or that you are rational, does it protect you from jealousy, anxiety, greed, gluttony, war or even from the fear of death? Some even think themselves special, and separate from animals. Look at yourselves, and see yourselves for what you really are; an unfortunate animal, a wretched animal.
It is no wonder Montaigne says
there is more distance from a given man and a given man than from a given man and a given beast
Random thoughts 
“I have of late, but wherefore I know not, lost all my mirth, forgone all custom of exercises, and indeed it goes so heavily with my disposition that this goodly frame, the earth, seems to me a sterile promontory; this most excellent canopy, the air – look you, this brave o’erhanging firmament, this majestical roof fretted with golden fire – why, it appears no other thing to me than a foul and pestilent congregation of vapours. What a piece of work is a man! How noble in reason, how infinite in faculty! In form and moving how express and admirable! In action how like an angel, in apprehension how like a god! The beauty of the world. The paragon of animals. And yet, to me, what is this quintessence of dust?”
– Hamlet addressing Rosencrantz. Act 2, Scene 2.
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That final question or reflection is at the heart of the issue.
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One of my favorite speeches of Hamlet. Simply beautiful, and always, it produces deep thoughts in me.
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Awesome. I own 7 different versions of Hamlet. Each is different from the other, but each is true to the spirit of the play and the poetry in it. If I have a god, and, well, and I don’t, it would be Shakespeare. His characters define what it is to be fully human.
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Glad you liked the clip inspired one. The film is excruciatingly funny if you didn’t already know as much.
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I’ll definitely check it out. 🙂
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I think that coming to the realization that we are as much animals as every other species on the planet, is one of the most terrifying for religiots. They just have to be special.
Sorry. Take a good long look, after that you either know better, or are very good at lying to yourself.
I got kicked off of a local forum because I had the audacity to point this out to some ignoramus who claimed they were special. What a joke.
I said something along the lines of: Do you have 2 eyes? 2 ears? 4 appendages? Do you eat, breathe, defecate, pass gas, procreate like every other animal on the planet? Or are you something different?
The simple truth is hard to take for some.
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They say Copernicus was the first in our era to take the rug under religion, then later we have Darwin and since then the goddites have been in a war against this demotion.
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Funny, in an odd way, how they haven’t seemed to notice their rug is missing…
It’s almost like they have fingers in ears and chanting the “la la la”
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it takes time to notice certain things
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You’re going to make us work! When I was in college, I used to like to study among the stacks in the philosophy section at the library, because it was so quiet. I often sat next to a copy of Montaigne’s essays, which I read from time to time in an entirely peripatetic manner. However, that was – well, never mind how many years ago that was.
I’m working on “Apology for Raymond Sebond.” I do not believe I’ve read that one before. I’ll have to get back to you. It’s actually rather long.
If anyone else is interested, it can be found on Gutenberg: http://www.gutenberg.org/files/3600/3600-h/3600-h.htm#chap12
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I will be looking forward to your comments on it. It is rather long. So far I think it is the longest essay. It begins with an apology for faith but then he gets to the more interesting portions where he talks about the human animal.
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We’re worse than animals. We sacrifice living things to placate fears.
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Fears, we have brought on ourselves, through what we claim to be our special reason!
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Fears, imagined.
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In deed. Why do governments carry out surveillance? They imagine the people plan to over throw them all the time
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We kill,living things for fun too. Or in the name of ‘war’ ‘religion’ etc.
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Yup. I just read a post this morning on religion and animal sacrifice going on today. It’s just so very sick.
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Very sick doesn’t even begin to describe it
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Oh yes, that too
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Fine post, sir. Animals are by far more honorable than most humans I know, especially most goddites. I’ve a few essays to read from your links. Thanks again, my friend.
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I hope you find the links worth your time
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A very observant and astute assessment on our nature (human). Good work, my Nairobi brother. Perfect quotation! 🙂
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Thanks thanks.
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Thank you, O Sanctified one! Love and naked hugs! 🙂
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bless you
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Honestly, I often find other species of animal far more noble and honest than humanity.
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yes and we maltreat them most of the time
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Well said Mak. It made me think of this:
http://www.trueactivist.com/after-viewing-these-18-photos-you-will-question-your-existence/
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That is putting things into perspective
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– Pudd’nhead Wilson’s Calendar (Mark Twain)
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oh yes, very true
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