The Damned Human Race
Introduction
The argument is very successful, simply because the author has provided the basic evidence to explain the reason as to why man should be the lower animal. Moreover, the author has conducted a very clear research which seeks to explain why human beings should be perceived as the lower animal, as compared to other animals. The argument presented provides both sides of the animals and their characteristics thus being able to effectively enable the reader to clearly see the logic behind the author’s argument. The author has therefore been very successful in challenging Charles Darwin’s theory of the Ascent of man. In order to explain why this argument is successful, this article is therefore going to critically analyze the argument.
In the first paragraph, the author talks about the theory of evolution, and points out the reasons as to why he is against the theory (Twain, 1). In addition, he provides some examples, whereby he says he has been studying some dispositions of the lower animals. The author therefore introduces the topic by first and foremost talking about the research he conducted concerning lower animals. Through this, he is therefore able to come up with a conclusion to the reason as to why those animals which are perceived to be lower animals, are actually better as compared to human beings. This therefore gives the reader an insight of what the author is really talking about. The author therefore mentions the reasons as to why those animals are not the lower animals, through explaining the issues concerning human beings.
The tone of the argument is sad, since the author does not understand why human beings are perceived to be the higher animals, when in real sense they are the lower animals. He therefore conducts a research whereby he looks at the human species, which is a very distinct species and very unique from other animals. In addition, the author also shows the distinctiveness of other animals, since they are of different colors. In the first experiment, the author talks about the hunters who organized a buffalo hunt (Twain, 2). The hunts then went forward to kill seventy two buffaloes, out of the seventy two buffaloes, they only ate one and left the other seventy one buffaloes to rot. He then compares this act to the experiment he did with an Anaconda, whereby he made seven calves to be moved into an Anaconda cage, and observed the reaction of the Anaconda. The Anaconda only crushed one of the calves and swallowed it, after which it did moved away and slept living the six calves.
Judging from the two experiments, it is very clear that the Anaconda is morally upright as compared to human beings (Twain, 3). This is consequently because, the Anaconda only crushed one of the calves which it wanted to swallow living the rest of the calves alone. On the other hand, man who is perceived to be the higher animal as compared to the Anaconda killed seventy two animals, eating only one and leaving the other seventy one to rot. Amongst the two animals, which one seemed brighter than the other? Obviously it is the Anaconda, since it does not destroy the food after being satisfied. The Anaconda slips away after swallowing one calf. Man therefore lacks morals, and when he becomes satisfied, he destroys the other things.
In second experiment, the author presented one hundred different animals with the opportunity of storing food. All the animals stored enough food which could be able to last them through the winter season (Twain, 4). When it comes to human beings, they are concerned with their own interests, and when they have stored enough food, they move forward to humiliate the needy. In addition, the rich are consequently the ones who tend to oppress the poor through giving them hard jobs for poor pay. As compared to other animals, man is the only animal which oppresses his own kind, in order to be able to gain more favors, or to be able to achieve more. In addition, man is the only animal which would rather kill one of his kind, in order to be able to benefit himself.
Conclusion
Out of the animals, man is the only animal who is a slave, man enslaves another man in order for the slave to serve him. This consequently shows how inhuman human beings have become, and they can therefore indulge in wars in order to be able to gain riches, acquire land and also win over territories. Man is therefore the only animal which seems to have outgrown its morals, thus doing things differently as compared to other animals. When other animals are striving to get food, man is striving to be fashionable, better than others and to earn more riches. This has consequently made man to be the lower animal, since he cannot be able to live peacefully with his kind, and also with other kind of animals.
Work Cited
Mark Twain. The Damned Human Race.
