The Inability To Communicate Between Man And Beast

5 Pages 1289 Words

It’s questionable as to whether most men can possibly communicate with each other, so the idea that a man and a beast can have a sophisticated conversation…that is too much to hope for. Wittgenstein said that “If a lion could speak, we couldn’t understand him.” How true that is. The fact of the matter is that we (humans and lions) differ so much in thought, hopes, dreams, and desires that we could never hope to make sense of each other. It would be like trying to discuss organic chemistry with a five year old. The individual words make sense, but the subject matter may as well be in a different language.
Communication is not just language. It is not just a common tongue. It is an understanding between two individuals. It is the ability to clearly convey a thought, a feeling, a dream. It is the act of making an idea understood. If there is no mutual understanding, there is no communication. The experiences and drives of a lion and a man are so drastically different, that communication could not occur. An understanding could not be reached between two organisms that are so vastly different. If what is being discussed cannot be understood by one or both parties, than the language spoken is irrelevant.
A lion and a man can never reach an understanding. A man cannot understand how the grass feels on a cat’s back in the Savannah when the sun reaches its zenith. A man cannot understand what it means to wake up to the smell of the kill brought by the lionesses. A man cannot understand the taste of warm blood as it rushes into the mouth when the cat bites into the still live throat of his pray. A man cannot understand the pride of a lion in his prime. A man cannot understand what it means to smell antelope on the wind. A man cannot understand what it is to be Lion.
In the same way, a lion would be at a loss in trying to grasp the meaning behind the words of a man. A lion cannot understand the stress of tax t...