To Serve Man

In the 1962 televised version, the Kanamit ambassador (Richard Kiel) tells the United Nations of his people's desire "to serve man."

"To Serve Man" is a science fiction short story by American writer Damon Knight. It first appeared in the November 1950 issue of Galaxy Science Fiction and has been reprinted a number of times, including in Frontiers in Space (1955), Far Out (1961), and The Best of Damon Knight (1976). It is widely known in popular culture for its 1962 television dramatization as an episode of The Twilight Zone, starring Richard Kiel.

Three emissaries from the planet Kanamit have arrived at the United Nations and declared their mission to bring "the peace and plenty which we ourselves enjoy, and which we have in the past brought to other races throughout the galaxy". The aliens soon supply Earth with cheap unlimited power, boundless supplies of food, and a device which disables all modern armies by suppressing all explosions, and they begin work on drugs for prolonging life. As a further token of friendship, they allow humans to visit their home planet via ten-year "exchange groups". A few diplomats discover a book lost by one of the aliens, which is entitled How to Serve Man in the Kanamit language. The title seems to indicate altruism, but not all of the diplomats are convinced. After some time has gone by, and Kanamit hegemony over Earth is well established, one of the diplomats manages to translate the book's first chapter and is horrified to learn that the Kanamit are not altruistic, as How to Serve Man is a cookbook.

The telefilm changes the story structure and list of characters, to fit the show's dramatic format, but leaves the most important themes intact.

In the original story, the Kanamit are described as short and resembling pigs, characteristics which did not carry over into the televised version.

Literary comment

Harry Turtledove's "Donner Summit" appears to be a satire of "To Serve Man." For example, the Fofogo appear to be based on Knight's description of the Kanamit.

"To Serve Man" in "Natural Selection"

While the Hripirt diplomat Mullnor was screening residents of the Los Angeles area for candidates for to visit his planet on work visas, he attended a science fiction convention. Mullnor figured that devotees of speculative fiction would be most at ease facing the reality of visitors from another world. He was disappointed in the results. Some of the authors displayed cunning, avarice, and duplicity in the struggle for internal political offices and awards, but showed too much individualism and initiative. While the Hripirt did not want humans with a herd beast mentality, neither did they want them too inclined to stray from the path and explore on their own. Also, they were unusual sorts, even among humans, and not truly representative of the species.

Most disturbingly, when Mullnor surveyed the group, the gathered Terrans' perception of the Hripirt was colored by "To Serve Man", an ancient fictional piece where aliens arrive on Earth and take away humans, intending to cook them on their home world. Attendees kept asking Mullnor if he was there "to serve man," and laughing rather nervously. Mullnor angrily stormed out, and refused to consider any of the convention attendees for his screening process.