"Nothing to be done really about animals. Anything you do looks foolish. The answer isn't in us. It's almost as if we're put here on earth to show how silly they aren't"

Russell Hoban’s words present a thoughtful meditation on the relationship between humans and animals, highlighting the inherent difference between our species and the sense of awkwardness or futility that can arise from our attempts to deal with the animal kingdom. His use of the phrase "Nothing to be done really about animals" suggests a resignation to the inscrutability or self-sufficiency of animals. They exist according to principles and instincts disconnected from human complications, and efforts to intervene, help, or control often appear "foolish" or misguided.

This assertion serves to contrast human complexity with animal simplicity. Animals, according to Hoban, do not require justification for their actions or identities; they simply are. Humans, on the other hand, frequently impose systems of meaning or morality upon the natural world, often ending up performing acts that further highlight their own confusion or disconnect. Attempts to fit animals into a human paradigm, whether through anthropomorphism, management, or domestication, rarely do justice to the true nature of animals and instead expose the limitations of human understanding.

His observation "The answer isn't in us" underscores an essential humility. Humans are not necessarily the final arbiters of meaning or value in the universe, especially in areas that predate us or function independently of human striving. Animals possess a clarity and purpose rooted in evolution and instinct, while human actions and desires often entangle us in ambiguity.

Finally, by saying we seem to be "put here on earth to show how silly they aren't", Hoban draws attention to the notion that, in comparison, the so-called ‘silliness’ or irrationality resides more with humans than with animals. Animals live authentically within the bounds of their nature, while humans, with their self-consciousness and existential ponderings, can appear inept or out of place alongside such simplicity. In this way, Hoban elevates the dignity and wisdom of animals, subtly critiquing human presumption.