Ishmael by Daniel Quinn

My three favorite quotes from this novel were as follows:

• “If you can’t discover what’s keeping you in, the will to get out soon becomes confused and ineffectual” (Quinn 25).

• “The world is not going to survive for very much longer as humanity’s captive” (Quinn 26).

• “Man was innocent until he discovered the difference between good and evil. When he was no longer innocent of that knowledge, he became a fallen creature” (Quinn 183).

What did I learn about BIOLOGY from reading Ishmael?

After reading this book, my understanding of the biological sciences has been affected. Though it is thought by some that humans are the peak of evolution, we share a closer relationship with other organisms than we think and are often ignorant to the consequences of our actions than animals. Ishmael, a gorilla, perhaps our more advanced predecessor explains how he discovered what was ‘keeping him in’ and thus was able to reach a higher level of consciousness and understanding of the world. Humans have not yet discovered what is ‘keeping them in’ and thus are trapped in the error of their ways. If humans continue to live the way they are, not discovering the error of their ways, they are certainly a doomed species as well as responsible for the world’s destruction.

What did I learn about the WORLD from reading Ishmael?

Upon reading the book, my understanding of the world that I live in has also been enhanced. I now understand that the world consists of “Takers” and “Leavers”. As stated in the book, “’The Leavers were chapter one of human history – a long and uneventful chapter. Their chapter of human history ended about ten thousand years ago with the birth of agriculture in the Near East. This event marked the beginning of chapter two, the chapter of the Takers” (Quinn 42). There are still ‘Takers” that exist but are very rare. The spring of agriculture has also given rise to the continuous growth of technology that unfortunately facilitates in the abuse the Earth, which is currently on the path of destruction. Our world is folding in on itself with major issues such as, pollution and population growth. In order to make a difference, the human race must experience an epiphany and release themselves from the cages they hold themselves captive in blindly.

What did I learn ABOUT MYSELF from reading Ishmael?

As a result of reading Ishmael, I have become much more aware of the environment and its mistreatment. Rather than abusing the world, we need to learn how to coexist and respect the Earth by observing nature and other animals that do this best. As “Takers” we produce and take an unnecessary amount of food and store a lot of it, we exterminate enemies, are constantly at war, strive for unlimited growth, and never give back. If we drew a “line” and settled for a more holistic life style, taking care of our Earth, we would have no worries. I say we need to learn how to be ‘borrowers’ instead, the way animals coexist and live. We need to take a few steps backwards in order to move forward. We are like kids who when spoiled once with candy, will eat it for every meal if they had the choice, because they don’t know better. “Man was innocent until he discovered the difference between good and evil. When he was no longer innocent of that knowledge, he became a fallen creature” (Quinn 183).

How does what I learned from reading Ishmael relate to the material presented in the course?

This book and along with the course has greatly opened up my eyes to the intensity of the issues we face. In my everyday life, I now feel much more concerned about the environment and its well-being. I always recycle, not just empty plastic bottles, but so much that you can recycle that people probably didn’t know they even could. I know personally from living with six guys that the amount of empty drink containers alone that pile up at the end of the week is obscene and how important it is to recycle them. I personally am trying to give up water bottles. I have purchased a couple of metal refillable containers, which I refill with water from water fountains, and sinks. I also feel much more compelled to start avidly using public transportation, car pooling, and my bicycle not just here but back at home as well. I am also constantly telling my friends and family all about the issues we face and all of the interesting facts that I have learned in this class, perhaps this will help to also open the eyes of others and spread the news of our danger. In learning the terrible effects of the industrial food chain for example and factory farming, back at home I know opt for purchasing my food from local farmers at a market that goes a few days a week in my home town. I find that this conventional form of obtaining my food also helps to build closer knit communities and friendly connections with the people of your town, which I believe is key. More love and respect for each other is a major component to make a change, and better our home, the Earth and our way of life.