Man is the only creature that consumes without producing. He does not give milk, he does not lay eggs, he is too weak to pull the plough, he cannot run fast enough to catch rabbits. Yet he is lord of all the animals. He sets them to work, he gives back to them the bare minimum that will prevent them from starving, and the rest he keeps for himself.
by George Orwell
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The quote from George Orwell's "Animal Farm" highlights the paradox of humanity's role in nature. While humans do not contribute to the production in the way that animals do—by providing food or being physically capable of labor— they dominate the animal kingdom. This underscores a strange irony: despite their weaknesses, humans assert control over other creatures, dictating how they live and what they produce.

Moreover, the passage critiques the exploitative nature of human society. Humans take more than they give, ensuring their own survival and comfort while providing just enough to keep animals alive. This reflects a broader commentary on social and economic hierarchies, where the powerful benefit at the expense of the vulnerable, leading to a system of oppression that persists throughout the natural world.

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