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And there are my cats, engaged in a ritual that goes back thousands of years, tranquilly licking themselves after the meal. Practical animals, they prefer to have others provide the food ... some of them do. There must have been a split between the cats who accepted domestication and those who did not.
William S. Burroughs
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Interpretation

What this quote means

The quote reflects on the behavior of domesticated cats and their relationship with humans.

This quote by William S. Burroughs encapsulates the essence of cats' nature, highlighting their ancient rituals of self-grooming after meals and their acceptance of domestication. It suggests a division in cat behavior, where some have adapted to living with humans while others maintain their wild instincts, showcasing a fascinating aspect of human-animal relationships and the influence of domestication over time.

Themes

CatsDomesticationNatureRitualsBehavior

In practice

Example use cases

During a pet lovers conference, one might quote this to emphasize the unique behaviors of domesticated animals.

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God save the Queen and a fascist regime … a flabby toothless fascism, to be sure. Never go too far in any direction, is the basic law on which Limey-Land is built. The Queen stabilizes the whole sinking shithouse and keeps a small elite of wealth and privilege on top. The English have gone soft in the outhouse. England is like some stricken beast too stupid to know it is dead. Ingloriously foundering in its own waste products, the backlash and bad karma of empire
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Gentle reader, the Fountain of Youth is radioactive, and those who imbibe its poisonous heavy waters will suffer the hideous fate of decaying metal. Yet almost without exception, the wretched idiot inhabitants of our benighted planet would gulp down this radioactive excrement if it were offered.
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One very important aspect of art is that it makes people aware of what they know and don’t know they know... Once the breakthrough is made, there is a permanent expansion of awareness. But there is always a reaction of rage, of outrage, at the first breakthrough... So the artist, then, expands awareness. And once the breakthrough is made, this becomes part of the general awareness.
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