ISHMAEL 1: PARTS 1-5; pp. 3-91

“Once you learn to discern the voice of Mother Culture humming in the background, telling her story over and over again to the people of your culture, you’ll never stop being conscious of it.”

Man has accomplished many feats, but where is he headed next?

“We were kept in cages because we were “wild” and dangerous”- terms that baffled me, because they evidently referred to qualities I epitomized in myself”

Considering the material and topics we discussed including human ethics and anthropocentricism, I think this book served as a proper segue into the new semester.   In fact, the first few sections of the book refer to things such as analogies to Nazism, anthropology, and Speciesism- all of which we’ve previously discussed. A topic most discussed was the idea of anthropocentrism. In Ishmael, Quinn explains that animals are trapped in these menageries and have become detached from The Wild. In the abstract, “The Wild” is synonymous with freedom, yet is also believed to be “uncivilized”. He says, “We were kept in cages because we were “wild” and dangerous”- terms that baffled me, because they evidently referred to qualities I epitomized in myself”(3). He explains that we are conditioned to fear The Wild for its uncertainties and darkness. Ishmael also explains, “Once you learn to discern the voice of Mother Culture humming in the background, telling her story over and over again to the people of your culture, you’ll never stop being conscious of it”.            

When the reader has this sort of epiphany, he/she is opened to a world of new expression. Our class also engages in this epiphany through experiential learning. Watching Earthlings was undoubtedly an eye-opening experience. A topic quite unfamiliar to the general public, the documentary opened the veil, revealing the gruesome acts behind animal exploitation.  However because of this awareness, he says, “In other words, if you take this educational journey with me, you’re going to find yourself alienated from the people around you- friends, family, past associates and so on” (37).  I don’t necessarily believe our lessons isolate us from others, but it did distinguish what the majority of people believe and what only few understand. Going back home over break, I became well-rehearsed in answering questions about my first freshman semester like, “What classes did you take?” “What did you learn about?” Most people were most interested in our World Lit class when I explained our unique learning style and small class size. While discussing things like animal ethics, the majority found this exploitation justified for the sake of “human advancement”. After finishing the first semester, I began to notice the rift in thinking between what I believed and what others (family, friends etc) held to believe.

Whether or not there was a right answer, this experience more so allowed me to realize how much of a independent thinker I had become as a result of my education. With that, I look with optimism for next semester. 

Cages separate the Wild from the Tamed. Whether
they are justified or not is a pressing question.