# Are we human or are we dancer? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 30, 2008, 9:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-human-or-are-we-dancer/475037 "2008-11-30T09:13:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Tanach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@Tanach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tanach)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2008, 9:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-human-or-are-we-dancer/475037/1 "2008-11-30T09:13:34Z")
The Killers single “Human” has the lyric “are we human or are we dancer?” which has caused some stir because of the singular use of dancer. A bit of research shows that the singer made it as a reference to a quote by Hunter S. Thompson about America raising a generation of dancers. The best interpretation I have seen so far is a comparison to free thinkers (human) verses people who have their strings pulled (dancer). Another line in the song refers to having the cord cut. Try as I might, I cannot find the source for this quote. The attribution to Thompson seems to be ubiquitous, but I have never seen a citation. Does anyone know where this quote by Thompson came from? I would love to read more on this. ---
**Author:** ![Lucky\_13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucky_13/32/13209_2.png) [@Lucky\_13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucky_13)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2008, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-human-or-are-we-dancer/475037/2 "2008-11-30T18:14:21Z")
I thought he was saying “denser.” ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2008, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-human-or-are-we-dancer/475037/3 "2008-11-30T18:28:04Z")
While I haven’t read _everything_ Thompson wrote, I’ve read a bunch of his work. I’ve never come across this line and it doesn’t strike me as the kind of thing he’d say. It sounds like a line somebody might stick in an email about the misplaced priorities of youth and then _attribute_ to Hunter Thompson. I did a little Googling and could not find where or when the good doctor was alleged to have made or written this remark. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2008, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-human-or-are-we-dancer/475037/4 "2008-11-30T18:46:36Z")
Yeah…I happened to hear that song on SNL last night, too. Afraid I wasn’t hip enough to make the Hunter S. Thompson connection. No idea what it means. ---
**Author:** ![CaerieD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@CaerieD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaerieD)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2008, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-human-or-are-we-dancer/475037/5 "2008-11-30T18:47:58Z")
I’ve read far more Hunter S. Thompson quotes in the past few weeks than I ever thought I would in my life, and so I feel quite acquainted with his style at the moment. I agree with **Marley** that it doesn’t sound like the sort of thing he’d say. While I generally like the Killers, I wouldn’t be at all surprised if Brandon Flowers latched onto some quote that had been mistakenly attributed to Thompson and didn’t bother looking it up. Whenever I’ve searched on the phrase, all I get is sites saying that _Brandon Flowers_ says Hunter S. Thompson said it. Not exactly the best proof, there. Nobody can offer a book or article or anywhere that Flowers might have read it, or so it appears. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2008, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-human-or-are-we-dancer/475037/6 "2008-11-30T19:36:04Z")
Sounds more like something PJ O’Rourke would say. ---
**Author:** ![Yorikke](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yorikke/32/4335_2.png) [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2008, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-human-or-are-we-dancer/475037/7 "2008-11-30T23:11:19Z")
Sounds like someone who needs a good cock-punching, if you ask me. Pretentious twat. Joe