23 October 2007

Now here is a question about the previous video; which side did YOU take? were you pro-lion or pro-buffalo? (or pro-crocodile..) One of the spectators clearly made emotional pro-buffalo comments. Well nobody likes to see an infant eaten alive, in any species. And we like felines, only on the condition that they eat crunchy fish croquettes in little heart shapes (seriously, they do exist, i've seen them in Germany). I surprisingly found myself thinking sometimes pro-buffalo too as I was watching the plot unfold. We also think lions, being the hunters, usually are successful and dominant over the poor preys. Well, now i am wondering if this video was such an exception. Buffalos don't eat lions, but they do kick their ass, and the interaction resembles a war. See for instance this one (not as cool as the previous video, and quite gruesome: lion cubs are being chased and killed by bulls). Now which side do you take there? Don't you wish the oh-so-cute baby lions survive the attacks? That's what the commentator seems to be thinking. Interesting how the human mind takes the side of the weak.. at least when we have nothing at stake. If we are the ones threatened our human ancestors would probably not hesitate killing baby predators (one less that will reach adulthood), or if we are the ones hunting with a hungry stomach we think different (kill the buffalo, yumm!). In either case we probably think of ourselves (and in particular our ancestors) as the weak guys in nature, because physically we are. Is that the reason we tend to side for the weak?

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Suppose we've got nothing to do with either side -
we take the weak side because the strong side doesn't need it - they get to win anyways.
it's not always the case though, sometimes we take the 'good-looking' side even though they're about to win. ;)

I guess it's something deeply rooted in our contradictory nature. On one hand, we wanta see a world with balanced power (so we tend to take the weak side), on the other hand, we'd also like to see it dominated by the true, the good and the beautiful.

The premise, however, is our own needs have to be met first (a sad truth for most of us - we have to be self-content before we can be good).
Do you notice that as humans, we enjoy eating animals (especially baby animals - I've heard many are tasty). what do you think about that? :)