For the first ten seconds it was cute. Then I remembered reading about how zoo animals develop repetitive behaviours to deal with the stress of captivity, and I couldn’t help wondering whether this is the bear’s version of writing emo poetry.
Of COURSE Colbert was right. He’s an improvisational genius with a stable of good writers who does a clever bit mostly in character. Like sci-fi, if you make enough predictions, some are bound to be right.
Cute bear, Katherine F makes a good point about it probably being depressed.
You should see what the polar bear does at Henry Vilas Zoo in Madison, WI. There is nearly no room for it to move around, so it just paces a few feet in each direction. Its pitiful in every sense of the word.
I’ll worry about AIDs and baby rape in Africa or even emo kids getting attacked in Mexico before I start worrying about some bear being sad.
So basically you’re saying that you don’t give a shit about animals so long as something worse is happening elsewhere?
By that logic, you shouldn’t care if your neighbor gets robbed either, because it’s not as bad as AIDS or baby rape and you’re indifferent to all but the most serious tragedies.
No, he’s saying that the emotional issues of a bear pales in comparison with more pressing issues of the human condition. What’s the bear going to do, maul itself?
Yeah, and your emotional issues pale in comparison with more pressing issues too. That doesn’t mean that people shouldn’t care about you.
If Katherine had compared what the bear’s repetetive behaviour to an autistic human being rocking back and forth all day instead of to “emo poetry”, would you be this apathetic?
You can look at the bear and think about how being confined might be making it absolutely miserable and think “gee, that’s too bad” and still worry about the stuff Andrew mentioned, you know. But instead you make jokes about a bear–one that we all thought was pretty cute the first time we saw this video–wanting to maul itself (and you know, maybe things are bad enough for it that it DOES want to die).
For what it’s worth, Rob, I went and checked up on this story, and the zookeepers in charge of caring for the bear’s needs think the bear is mostly content. It stopped playing with sticks for a couple years, then started up again, then stopped. They kind of look at it as a hobby.
OK, that’s good to know. It looks like a nice enough space, but you can’t really get a good sense from the limited part we’re seeing, so I wondered what it was like.
If Katherine had compared what the bear’s repetetive behaviour to an autistic human being rocking back and forth all day instead of to “emo poetry”, would you be this apathetic?
I’m referring to the emotional needs of an autistic human being suffering from distress versus the supposed emotional needs of a freakin’ bear. Anthropomorphism can only go so far, people.
April 6th, 2008 la 9:58 am
Who is this super hero?
Sarge? …No. Too alcoholic.
Rosemary, the telephone operator? …No. She has to pick up her girlfriend at five.
Penry, the mild-mannered janitor? …No, he slipped on a poorly-placed mop and broke his jaw, remember?
That one Japanese bear on the news? …COULD BE!
April 6th, 2008 la 10:49 am
For the first ten seconds it was cute. Then I remembered reading about how zoo animals develop repetitive behaviours to deal with the stress of captivity, and I couldn’t help wondering whether this is the bear’s version of writing emo poetry.
April 6th, 2008 la 11:04 am
KUMA!
*starts Tekken music*
April 6th, 2008 la 11:41 am
Last time I did math gun > stick, so I think we’re good.
April 6th, 2008 la 11:52 am
[…] Hat tip to MightyGodKing. […]
April 6th, 2008 la 2:02 pm
Kata is an ineffective training method. Until they realize this, the bears will continue to lose the Kumite.
April 6th, 2008 la 2:27 pm
Colbert was right!!!
April 6th, 2008 la 3:07 pm
Of COURSE Colbert was right. He’s an improvisational genius with a stable of good writers who does a clever bit mostly in character. Like sci-fi, if you make enough predictions, some are bound to be right.
Cute bear, Katherine F makes a good point about it probably being depressed.
April 6th, 2008 la 9:33 pm
I’ll worry about AIDs and baby rape in Africa or even emo kids getting attacked in Mexico before I start worrying about some bear being sad.
April 7th, 2008 la 2:30 am
Apparently bears watch Star Wars too.
April 7th, 2008 la 3:47 am
Katherine F: Nice post.
You should see what the polar bear does at Henry Vilas Zoo in Madison, WI. There is nearly no room for it to move around, so it just paces a few feet in each direction. Its pitiful in every sense of the word.
April 7th, 2008 la 5:06 am
Andrew: Nicer rebuttal. You have just rationalized my fully guilt-free enjoyment of this video.
April 7th, 2008 la 6:10 am
Sir, let me give you this picture of me.
For you shall never see me like that in person.
We are not amused.
http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k261/Moolieaux/StevenColbertSexy.jpg
April 8th, 2008 la 4:00 am
I’ll worry about AIDs and baby rape in Africa or even emo kids getting attacked in Mexico before I start worrying about some bear being sad.
So basically you’re saying that you don’t give a shit about animals so long as something worse is happening elsewhere?
By that logic, you shouldn’t care if your neighbor gets robbed either, because it’s not as bad as AIDS or baby rape and you’re indifferent to all but the most serious tragedies.
April 8th, 2008 la 12:32 pm
No, he’s saying that the emotional issues of a bear pales in comparison with more pressing issues of the human condition. What’s the bear going to do, maul itself?
April 8th, 2008 la 11:19 pm
Yeah, and your emotional issues pale in comparison with more pressing issues too. That doesn’t mean that people shouldn’t care about you.
If Katherine had compared what the bear’s repetetive behaviour to an autistic human being rocking back and forth all day instead of to “emo poetry”, would you be this apathetic?
You can look at the bear and think about how being confined might be making it absolutely miserable and think “gee, that’s too bad” and still worry about the stuff Andrew mentioned, you know. But instead you make jokes about a bear–one that we all thought was pretty cute the first time we saw this video–wanting to maul itself (and you know, maybe things are bad enough for it that it DOES want to die).
I’m glad that Zenrage understands, at least.
April 8th, 2008 la 11:22 pm
For what it’s worth, Rob, I went and checked up on this story, and the zookeepers in charge of caring for the bear’s needs think the bear is mostly content. It stopped playing with sticks for a couple years, then started up again, then stopped. They kind of look at it as a hobby.
April 8th, 2008 la 11:36 pm
OK, that’s good to know. It looks like a nice enough space, but you can’t really get a good sense from the limited part we’re seeing, so I wondered what it was like.
Anyway, thank you.
April 9th, 2008 la 1:10 pm
If Katherine had compared what the bear’s repetetive behaviour to an autistic human being rocking back and forth all day instead of to “emo poetry”, would you be this apathetic?
Of course not. Because then it would be a human.
Duh.
April 9th, 2008 la 1:11 pm
I’m referring to the emotional needs of an autistic human being suffering from distress versus the supposed emotional needs of a freakin’ bear. Anthropomorphism can only go so far, people.
April 23rd, 2008 la 8:46 pm
[…] Via Mightygodking […]