969. The "prodigal son" thus became a being that "ate with the swine". The parable describes this condition as the very culmination, and thereby the turning point, of the son's absence from his parental home and of his disharmony with his father. The "prodigal son" at his "turning point" can be seen as a being that "eats with the swine" but is miserably unhappy about this condition. This in turn means that the "prodigal son" at his "turning point" is an "animal" that is unhappy with its "animal-like" condition. As the terrestrial human being is, as we have already pointed out, just such a being that "eats with the swine", but that would prefer not to admit to sharing the same food or the close kinship of their organisms, even trying to deny it altogether, we have in this being found the true "prodigal son". To deny one's own condition is mainly due to either modesty or pride. Either one does not want to admit to one's condition because one thinks it is too noble in relation to the being or beings one would very much like to be in harmony or contact with, and therefore by denying it one modestly tries to hide the difference in rank so that it should not be a hindrance to the friendship or harmony with these beings, or one actually denies one's condition because one thinks it is too lowly for the being or beings one would like to be on an equal footing with. One feels positively ashamed of oneself. The biblical account shows clearly that it was the second condition that weighed heavily on the "prodigal son". This account has given us an unmistakeable description of this being that is so precise or accurate that we can point out exactly not only the type of being to which the "prodigal son" belongs, but even the specific individuals within this type that actually appear identical to the "prodigal son" in the divine account. The parable therefore tells us not only that the "prodigal son" belongs to the type of living beings we call "terrestrial human beings", but also which kind of individuals within this type are like the main character in the immortal account. According to this account, the "prodigal son" is therefore a terrestrial human being who is ashamed of himself. This in turn means a terrestrial human being that is dissatisfied with its nature, its habits and inclinations, a being that feels that it is degrading to "eat with the swine", in other words, a being that longs for a much more "high-ranking food" and a far more perfect form of existence than that of "animals".