Ishmael: An Adventure Of The Mind And Spirit

The idea of defining what it means to be human has stumped philosophers for centuries. However, Daniel Quinn's philosophical novel Ishmael: An Adventure of the Mind and Spirit tries to capture the downfall of modern society, and defines the members of modern society as “Takers.” In contrast, those who live in tribal and what modern society defines as “primitive” styles are considered “Leavers,” as they work with nature instead of destroying it. The world is complex and its future seems unclear, but what is clear is the destruction of nature as humans quest toward modernity. The price Mother Nature must pay for human to construct their elaborate skyscrapers, lavish suburbs, and amusement parks are a defining characteristic of the modern lifestyle. Within the novel the message is clear, there is something fundamentally wrong with humans and there are forces at work to make people greedy, stupid, and destructive, what …show more content…
Humans were once such a humble specie who traveled on foot from place to place adapting as they go. They transformed themselves as their environment changed, not the other way around. However, since the Agricultural Revolution, the ideals of humanity began to change. The act of controlling nature and playing god by deciding what species deserve to survive has been exploited through farming and domestication of animals. Within the novel, the history of humanity is described as the story of the “Takers.” Human evolution has chosen the “Takers” to be the dominant specie on Earth, not because they are better adapted or superior to the “Leavers,” rather because the “Takers” has a characteristic of being heartless and disregards all other forms of life. The “Taker’s” lack of morals has allowed them to exploit the planet, and as a result, destroy everything around them in the pursuit to better themselves