The Animal I Am

Description

This is the shocking title for a diverse audience of readers of the renowned thinker Jacques Derrida, a title that is disturbing to the core, and which I chose to phrase as such, alluding to him.

Ironically, anyone who reads “The Animal I Am” will inevitably confront themselves, asking: What kind of animal am I? What kind of animal am I, and what does this book, “My Animal,” evoke in me?

It’s a geometric progression, branching out the deeper the reader delves into the book. The question of the nature of humanity’s relationship with animals—a relationship far more complex than what’s indicated in historical texts—is explored. Through the foundational texts of mythology, religious texts, and proverbs, the animal occupies a position that places humanity in direct confrontation with a long and rich history, and specifically with our present. This elevates the concept of the animal to the level of a parable, a lesson, and a revelation of truths that touch upon the very fabric of human psychology. Humanity is capable of bloodshed against its closest relatives, and of disregarding what it seeks to avoid, yet relentlessly pursues and clings to.

It is a profound paradox that anyone reading “The Animal I Am” will inevitably confront themselves with it, to the extent that they question its true nature. It is perhaps the only book of its kind in its field, and the discussions it contains broaden our understanding of ourselves, and perhaps even offer a different perspective on animals after reading it!