The evolutionary process probably went much more along the lines of “I can sacrifice intelligence and many of my speed/fine motor functions and in exchange I gain a food source with zero competition”. That’s not a terrible trade, and it’s not particularly different from what something like a koala or sloth is doing. If the deforestation happened slowly, evolution could also probably unfuck the situation too, but we humans change shit too fast for evolutionary timescales to mean a damn thing.
Again, I understand you’re making a joke. But I’ve been hearing this particular “joke” for the better part of 20 years (and I’m sure it’s been going longer) and this “joke” has normalized a view on the situation that I think is highly skewed and massively egotistical. By making this joke you perpetuate this normalization, so I feel that it’s required of me to call it out. I don’t think you’re personally to blame for it or anything like that; this isn’t an attack. I just want to make clear the reality of the situation to anyone unfamiliar with how the common narrative differs from the real world.
“I’m a bear. What am I going to eat? Oh wait, I know, I’m going to eat the thing with the lowest nutritional value possible.”
I am against captivity of animals in general. The argument you complain about is not the argument I make.
Indeed I am.
Pandas are a political influential power for China, indeed we completely fucked up and pandas did nothing to deserve this fate.
The evolutionary process probably went much more along the lines of “I can sacrifice intelligence and many of my speed/fine motor functions and in exchange I gain a food source with zero competition”. That’s not a terrible trade, and it’s not particularly different from what something like a koala or sloth is doing. If the deforestation happened slowly, evolution could also probably unfuck the situation too, but we humans change shit too fast for evolutionary timescales to mean a damn thing.
Again, I understand you’re making a joke. But I’ve been hearing this particular “joke” for the better part of 20 years (and I’m sure it’s been going longer) and this “joke” has normalized a view on the situation that I think is highly skewed and massively egotistical. By making this joke you perpetuate this normalization, so I feel that it’s required of me to call it out. I don’t think you’re personally to blame for it or anything like that; this isn’t an attack. I just want to make clear the reality of the situation to anyone unfamiliar with how the common narrative differs from the real world.
I’ve enjoyed and appreciated reading both of your messages people.