The Scientist and the Cannibal
Reading time: 2 minutes
A few years after the Great War a scientist tried to convince a cannibal that western civilization was far superior, because western culture had never known canniblism.
After a short discussion the cannibal conceded that cannibalism was wrong.
He was not entirely convinced though, and he wanted to know whether white people had ever fought against one another, and whether people got killed in the process.
“Well”, the scientist said, “from time to time we have had our differences of opinion.”
“But”, the cannibal asked, “were people killed in the course of those differences of opinion?”
The scientist hesitated and said: “Yes, sometimes people did get killed.”
“And how many people were killed during those fights?”
The scientist, feeling increasingly uncomfortable, said: “Well, uh, about [muttering unaudibly] people.”
Of course the cannibal did not understand the answer, so he asked again: “How many people?”
Finally, the scientist reluctantly answered: “During our last fight about 25 million people got killed.”
The cannibal was flabbergasted by the answer and asked: “And what happened with all the meat that came available in this way?”
When the scientist tried to explain that we killed all those people without eating them, the cannibal was astounded at the stupidity of such ridiculous behaviour.
Very freely rendered from: Ernest Dichter, Strategy of desire, p. 38 ff. (Dutch edition)
Translated by Ite Wierenga