Quote:
Originally Posted by polak
People go full blown stupid when animals die. Personification of animals is the reason.
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I don't think it has to do as much with anthropomorphism. For me, it's a sense of innocence, helplessness, and responsibility. Humans have a capacity for reason above the rest of the animal kingdom, and that comes with a measure of responsibility and accountability
especially when we either remove an animal from their environment or enter into theirs. On a different level, these same feelings apply to children (innocence, helplessness, and responsiblity).
The entire concept and environment of a zoo is human, and we have to be accountable in situations like this. Nobody is blaming the gorilla because that wouldn't make sense (at least that much can be taken as common ground here). But again it's natural to reason, rationalize, and find a cause.
This tragedy is on humans and we deserve the derision. I agree that in processing that people get worked up and say some incredibly stupid things. However, I think there is a lot more to it than giving animals names and watching Disney.