…..I almost called this one “Simpleminded Selfish Selfer Sated Suave Savage Swallower Staking Semi-Selfless Selfie Sacrifice.” This particular work of literature is inspired by people who don’t know the difference between pets, cuddly plush toys, and wild beasts.
…..‘Those people’ are in the news all the time. Whether it’s a national wilderness park, or a gated executive community in the midst of an otherwise wild area, people with selfie sticks and smart phones are fearlessly approaching wild cats, wolves, and bears for the purpose of capturing a moment to share online, and to be ‘liked’, often fatally unaware as to which of the two subjects in the photograph is highest in the food chain.
…..Though blame for this folly is squarely on the shoulders of these smart-phone-photographers, it’s at least understandable where the misguided perceptions have originated. Of all animal stories, the most often produced are fantasy tales of wild beasts with a sense of fair-play. The stories may begin with a snarl or two, but by the end it’s all hugs and snuggle-buddies. It’s almost a natural leap from a teen’s selfie with a stuffed, life-sized, plush-toy bear to that same teen, full-grown, stepping back first, toward a real bear, expecting the same cuddly effect.
…..This is almost understandable with tourists who are just searching for entertainment that doesn’t require much thought, a perfect moment on-the-fly. But, it doesn’t excuse another group, people who spend time and emotional energy to plan, then spend huge sums of borrowed money with a long-term commitment to repay, to build a home – a haven where parents and progeny can be warm and dry and safe from all harm. Then, when from the secure interior of that home, they see in the yard a large, dark, fur-covered, moving mass of muscle, upright on hind legs, straddling a fence, sniffing and clawing at the window of the baby’s room, they make a mad dash for the phone.
…..In a similar situation, bathed with intelligence, such a moment would lead to the phrase, “Honey! There’s a bear at the baby’s window! I’m calling 9-1-1.” Crazily, however, in these mind-numbed times the intensity is the same but, with phone in hand, the words are different, “Honey! There’s a bear at the baby’s window! Where’s my selfie-stick?”
When is it time to think of this?
There’s a specific time for heightened awareness concerning wild animals and homesite selection. The Home Building Timeline (illustration at top of page) shows the specific moment, among other very important aspects, in the section SITE HAZARDS ( gold star at grid M-16 ). Ignore it at the peril of house, home and family.
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..To animals it’s just too easy, like picking low hanging fruit. Animal instinct has a routine: chase, catch, kill, and eat. The human’s expectation of a warm fuzzy reception simply removes the ‘chase’ part. There’s no other change to the routine. There may be variations : catch, kill, taste, reject, toss, move on. But ‘kill’ is still important.
…..It’s not so much a savage action to kill and eat a human, as it is just the way things are. BTW – In the optional title, don’t let the word ‘savage’ fool you. ‘Suave’ is the key word. Well, along with ‘Sated’; and that’s why I grin. ( yeah – that’s me in the picture…. Of course I can write. I have a smart phone.)
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