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The excerpt represents the core issue or deciding factor on which you must meditate, and is drawn from Kwaidan by Lafcadio Hearn: relative experience in the long life of the ant, I suppose that few persons
would venture to deny individual character to the ant. The intelligence of
the little creature in meeting and overcoming difficulties of a totally new
kind, and in adapting itself to conditions entirely foreign to its
experience, proves a considerable power of independent thinking. But this
at least is certain: that the ant has no individuality capable of being
exercised in a purely selfish direction;-- I am using the word "selfish" in
its ordinary acceptation. A greedy ant, a sensual ant, an ant capable of
any one of the seven deadly sins, or even of a small venial sin, is
unimaginable. Equally unimaginable, of course, a romantic ant, an
ideological ant, a poetical ant, or an ant inclined to metaphysical
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