Hahaha I dunno about the last two, but they're definitely unique (all species are), and wildlife charisma =/= personality charisma! It's more like a relationship people have with a species. It's easy to imagine with lions, they're religious and cultural symbols with connotations of pride, courage- 🏺 - ThreadSky

anthroandrew.bsky.social • 33 days ago

Hahaha I dunno about the last two, but they're definitely unique (all species are), and wildlife charisma =/= personality charisma! It's more like a relationship people have with a species. It's easy to imagine with lions, they're religious and cultural symbols with connotations of pride, courage- 🏺

Reposted from David Green, PhD

Do we think lions have charisma, uniqueness, nerve, and talent??? 🦁

Comments

rlb-21.bsky.social•33 days ago

It's all about the anthropomorphization of various animal species - the human traits we project onto them. Nothing wrong with that, but it's not innate to the animals. They really don't care how we see them. They do what their instincts and learning tells them.

anthroandrew.bsky.social•33 days ago

That's one piece of the puzzle!

rlb-21.bsky.social•33 days ago

I see it as one part of the process of humans trying to make sense out of the bewildering world they saw around them. Much like religion and mysticism.

anthroandrew.bsky.social•33 days ago

Certainly, and it's both an active relationship and one that's passive, too! It's a beautiful thing but obviously with hiccups that lead to such things as people caring way more about one species than another, anthropromorphization, and so on.

rlb-21.bsky.social•33 days ago

Absolutely. Pity the endangered species that aren't either cute or regal looking

anthroandrew.bsky.social•33 days ago

Or, more accurately, those that haven't undergone what I call biological bricolage (Smith 2024)

anthroandrew.bsky.social•33 days ago

-and so on. Plus, any children's book about animals features them, they're just a well-known animal! I saw this magazine in a store the other day and had no idea why it was written, but it was a weird moment for wildlife charismology that's for sure 🏺