Animal Insults: How We Use Animals to Degrade Humans (Part 2)

Jul 06, 2020

"But if thought corrupts language, language can also corrupt thought."
-George Orwell,
1984

Ape

To call someone an ape means that they act ridiculously and foolishly. They're generally considered large, lumbering oafs who act in an excessively facetious way. Maybe this term was coined after some deep level of introspection because humans ourselves are apes. Perhaps this connotation was derived out of our own inadequacy and our flippant attitude to the seriousness of our actions. This word may be more of an insult directly against ourselves because we are behaving in a way that is destroying the entire planet and yet we are too foolish to realize the consequences of what happens when our home is gone. (However, it's probably more likely an insult derived exclusively from our perception of all other great apes as knuckle-draggers: less evolved, less "intelligent" beings.)

Chicken

A chicken is a person that's afraid of doing something. Chickens are cowardly, small, and insignificant. To chicken out is to get cold feet out of a fear of doing something or of the consequences that could follow. Chicken is also the name of a dangerous game in which two people put themselves in a dangerous situation -- such as driving cars directly towards each other -- and whoever saves themselves first is the loser, the chicken. However, it sounds to me like being a chicken is the opposite of idiocy, which seems like something we should all strive to attain.

Cold-blooded

Someone that is cold-blooded has ice in their veins, has a cold heart, and has little sympathy or respect for others. They often lack basic human emotions -- or are at least perceived in that way -- and commit actions that may seem intentionally wicked. The term is often used as an adjective to describe a murder or an egregious action against another individual that was committed for no particular reason, with excessive violence or brutality, or with a particular disrespect shown to the victim or the victim's body.

Cougar

Cougar is a word used exclusively for women who seek out romantic relationships with younger men. This isn't always considered an insult, but as age is a defining characteristic of the term, there are predatory undertones. Of course, it's far more common for older men to be involved with young women and there isn't nearly as much of a stigma against that, but I will be discussing predators -- of either a sexual or non-sexual nature -- later on.

Dinosaur

Like cougars, dinosaur is a word used against older people. While this word is a common descriptor for old things, like technology, it also can be used for humans too. It not only means that something/someone is old, but also connotes that they are lost in the past or have become obsolete over time, either by failing to evolve or just by happenstance.

Lamb

This is a term that isn't quite as easy to define as the others because it's rare to actually use the word in conversation. However, lambs symbolize innocence and naiveté, largely because of our Christain origins; Jesus is even called the lamb of God because he sacrificed himself to save humanity. A sacrificial lamb is a person given up or killed -- we use the word sacrifice despite the fact that the lamb has no say in the matter, making them more like martyrs -- generally with the belief that doing so is for some greater purpose; a sacrifice for the "greater good." This ideology has bled into other areas of life and may be the reason why we try to justify our consumption of animals: because we see them as a sacrifice to sustain our own lives. To send a lamb to slaughter is to send a person into a potentially dangerous -- or at least uncomfortable -- situation without warning or allowing them to prepare for what is to come. Generally, the result is that the lamb gets torn apart or eaten alive (figuratively, in this sense).

Lemming

A lemming is a person that can't think for themselves and will follow others even when it goes against their best interests. The myth about lemmings is that they commit mass suicide, each one following the other off the edge of a cliff, though that is entirely inaccurate; all animals, including humans, have an instinctual desire to live. According to their Wikipedia article, they do often migrate in packs, particularly when the population becomes too dense in one area, which is how this myth may have originated. (In my opinion, that actually seems like pretty intelligent behavior.) Additionally, these little critters are actually incredibly adorable -- they have the fur of a calico cat on a hamster-like body -- and maybe we should start using this term to describe things/people we find attractive instead of stupid.

Loon

This term is similar to "quack" from Part 1 (perhaps because both make me think of ducks). A loon is someone who's lost their marbles, who isn't all there, who is a little cooky. It can also describe a person that is hopelessly foolish or zany. You could say that a loon is a bit of an odd duck.

Mammoth

Though an adjective not used exclusively to describe humans, a mammoth living or nonliving thing is gargantuan, as the extinct creatures were elephantine in size. While this isn't always an insult, when used against a human, because of our perceived beauty standards that emphasize attaining a certain body image, it would be incredibly rude and demeaning.

Predator

Though humans like to believe that we are apex predators, the most dangerous hunters alive, the connotation of this particular word is incredibly dark. Human predators are people that intentionally seek out others, generally younger than they, with the intent to cause harm; most often, that harm is of a sexual nature. They prey on the weaknesses of others, seek to exploit them, and receive pleasure from these actions. In our society, predators are viewed as some of the most perverse and detestable people alive. But in the wild, predators are simply omnivorous or carnivorous animals that prey upon other animals for sustenance, and they receive -- from what we know of them -- absolutely no warped gratification from their actions. So, maybe, humans don't really want to be predators after all.

Rat

Humans and rats have a messy relationship, and humans generally dislike these furry little critters. To call someone a rat is generally meant as an insult to a person that has been disloyal, has a weak backbone or is cowardly, or has been working as a mole, as discussed in Part 1. The term always makes me think of Peter Pettigrew from the Harry Potter series, a wizard who could physically morph into a rat and deceived Harry's parents, ultimately resulting in their deaths. He is the epitome of how we view rats as disgusting little traitors, unworthy of our trust or respect.

Sheep

Man, we have a lot of issues with sheep. Not only do we want to kill the lambs, but we also abuse the adults. Sheep are often seen as stupid creatures; mindless, clueless, a part of the hoi polloi following the masses. Sheep don't have original thoughts and, like lemmings, simply follow the crowd. The term sheeple is used to describe a group of sheep-like people who can't (or won't) "wake up" to their own reality. A sheepish person is shy and timid, while a black sheep is an outcast or pariah of a group. This is an example of the amazing ability we have as a species to have two completely opposite meanings for the same word: we call people sheep for following the herd, but once they start thinking for themselves, we ostracize them.

Slug

We really don't like slow-moving creatures. Like sloths from Part 1, slugs are people that are lazy and slow. Of course, it shouldn't be an insult just because this particular species of animal moves slower than others, but we view slowness as indicative of apathy and a lack of motivation. These kinds of people don't want to work hard, preferring to be handed opportunities they didn't earn, and that is something antithetical to our fast-paced, individualistic world.

Weasel

Similar to rats, weasels are conniving people who will do nearly anything to get what they want, including betrayal and deception. The verb to weasel means to slip your way into a situation that you didn't earn honestly; similarly, this verb can be used to describe a way of getting out of a bad situation. This is likely due to the long, sinuous bodies of weasels and how they can squeeze and contort into strange positions to find their way into/out of unlikely places.

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