That's the opinion of General Zaroff, one of the main characters in "the Most Dangerous Game" by Richard Connell. Although Zaroff initially strikes the reader as being a civilized human being, when we learn that he hunts people on his island for entertainment purposes we see that he is really nothing less than a monster. Zaroff's seemingly civilized yet savage character as a deft hunter is defined and developed by his relationships with Rainsford, Ivan, and the island. .
Firstly, Zaroff's interactions with Rainsford show that although he seems like a civilized person, he relies on his savage hunting instinct. When Rainsford arrives and states his name and reason for being there, Zaroff replied, ""It is a very great pleasure and honor to welcome Mr. Sanger Rainsford, the celebrated hunter, to my home"" (4). This shows that, despite of what we later learn about General Zaroff, he is a polite and cordial man that attempts to "preserve the amenities of civilization" (5) in his home. ""I've read your book about hunting snow leopards in Tibet, you see,"" (4) the general went on to say. In fact, he has read all books on hunting published in English, French, and Russian. This is because hunting was General Zaroff's life. It is his one true passion. He loved hunting so much that he has become obsessed with it and constantly searched for a more challenging hunt, until finally he decides to hunt humans on his island. When he tells this to Rainsford, he is surprised that Rainsford so highly values human life. ""Life is for the strong, to be lived by the strong, and if needs be, taken by the strong"" (7), Zaroff explained. ""The weak of the world were put here to give the strong pleasure"" (7). This shows how radical Zaroff's ideas about hunting had become, and that underneath his mirage of being a civilized person he was a monster who attached no value to human life.
General Zaroff's relationship with Ivan reveals more of his savageness, that he feels superior to other people and creatures, and that he does not value human life.