The animal in front of you must know where it stands, whether above you or below you. Social rank is central to how it leads its life. Rank determines whom it can associate with and how; where and when it can eat; where it can rest; where it can drink; and so on. Until it knows its rank for certain, the animal lives a life of unbearable anarchy. It remains nervous, jumpy, and dangerous. Luckily for the circus trainer, decisions about social rank among higher animals are not always based on brute force.
动物在你面前时它必须知道自己的地位是高于你还是低于你,它所过的生活取决于它的社会级别。这个级别决定了它会与谁为伴、以何种方式交往、何时何地可以进食,何处可以休息和饮水等等。没有确定自己的级别之前,它的生活会混乱不堪,它会一直紧张、躁动并充满威胁。好在对马戏团的驯兽员来说,更高等动物之间的社会级别并不总是以兽性的强力决定。
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