You can't run away and join the circus anymore

[CaptainCrunch]

Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey's circus shuts down after well over 100 years in business.

http://news.nationalpost.com/news/wo...than-100-years

While they cited increasing costs and decreasing attendance as the primary reason. The loss of their animal acts as well as accidents during their death defying acts probably killed the circus as well.

I guess the only circuses that are really left are the Cirque du Solei which isn't really a circus.

And the three levels of government (bazang). But while its sad to see a cultural icon go, I believe it was time.

[Puppet Guy]

Definitely time to end it. I don't even remember the last time I went to a circus.

[Ashartus]

There's always the Shriners Circus.

[troutman]

What about the one that comes to town, and makes free tickets available at your drycleaner?

[Locke]

I'd honestly thought they'd gone out of business eons ago.

I cant even imagine attending a circus. I mean, I'm on CP a lot, but other than that.

[Regular_John]

It's a sign of the time's really, I just hope "circus theme" aesthetic lives on, as there's a rich library of visual language associated with the circus. Heck I imagine we'll see a circus revival at some point much like we've seen with things like burlesque & roller derby, minus the use of animals obviously.

The New York Times published a fascinating photo essay a few years back that's worth checking out.

Life on the Train
https://nyti.ms/2iEpSSy

Spoiler!

[MoneyGuy]

Good! Are zoos next?

[Kavvy]

Originally Posted by MoneyGuy

Good! Are zoos next?

Right or Wrong, there is big money behind zoos.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by MoneyGuy

Good! Are zoos next?

I'm betting within 20 years there will only be handful of super-zoos, mostly outdoor safari-type (San Diego, etc.) left in North America. We're finally starting to recognising that keeping animals in concrete boxes in climates radically different from their natural habitats is flat-out inhumane.

When my kids are my age, they'll be posting in a Things you can't believe used to be allowed/exist thread about seeing apes and elephants at the Calgary zoo.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

I'm betting within 20 years there will only be handful of super-zoos, mostly outdoor safari-type (San Diego, etc.) left in North America. We're finally starting to recognising that keeping animals in concrete boxes in climates radically different from their natural habitats is flat-out inhumane.

When my kids are my age, they'll be posting in a Things you can't believe used to be allowed/exist thread about seeing apes and elephants at the Calgary zoo.

Or we'll be locked in zoo's while being observed by aliens who will point at our junk and ask our parents what those are for. Their parents will laugh and throw some peanuts at us so that we dance to the amusement of their slimy multi-tenticled children.

Then the aliens will go home and the farther will log onto his favorite EarthBlorg (a blorg being a hyper face ball used in their favorite game Blorgdeath) and post in the threat Things you can't believe used to be allowed thread, and type in Human's ruling the earth

Bows, takes flowers and watches the curtains drop.

[FireGilbert]

Originally Posted by MoneyGuy

Good! Are zoos next?

Yeah, zoos and aquariums are horrible too. The argument for zoos though is that they provide invaluable education which promotes environmentalism and sustainability. Essentially a few animals are made to suffer for the greater good of the species.

It is a similar argument for trophy hunting in Africa. At first glance you might think this is horrible but it turns out the money earned from hunters is used to stop poachers meaning an increase in animal numbers.