Tuesday, April 14, 2015

Week 3: Anthropomorphism and Zoomorphism

Week 3: Anthropomorphism and Zoomorphism



Let's think about the arguments presented in this week's reading around human and animal relationships and our conversation around what's at stake in zoomorphic and anthropomorphic models. Think about animals as companions, totems, traditions, and symbols. For this week's post answer:

1- What is your Chinese astrological sign? With the risk of romanticizing your human-animal relationship, do you "feel connected" to this reading, to this animal?  Why, why not?  http://www.horoscope.com/index-chinese.html





2- Next, answer A or B:

A: Find a part (cite) in the Sax, Adams and/or Berger that speaks to your own relationship to a pet, the zoo, or a childhood animal figure (i.e., cartoon). Talk about that relationship and include a citiation from the Animal Reader.

OR

B. Find a part (cite) in the Sax, Adams and/or Berger that speaks to your own relationship to meat, food preparation, or food production Talk about that relationship and include a citation from the Animal Reader.  You may also draw from the "Supersizers Go..." videos I showed in class today. I include the link to the episode on Ancient Roman diet. The episodes on Restoration, the Fifties and the Seventies speak to Carol Adams's arguments about meat being an index of class, race and gender.

Ancient Rome



Regency




PLEASE "comment" under this thread. Length of post is 150-200 words

52 comments:

  1. My Chinese astrological sign is a rooster, I was born in 1993. I've never been quite fond of it though, and I can't quite say I feel like I relate to this sign. As a deep animal lover, I always seem to catch myself wishing upon a different astrological sign. Saying things like "Man I wish I was born in 1994 ... I love dogs!", etc etc. The rooster always seemed so drab to me, as I tend to like the animals I feel a relation or connection to. I can't say I've ever touched or let alone, seen a rooster. Roosters stereotypically symbolize mornings and awakenings which barely if at all relate to myself.

    The Chinese horoscope makes known that the rooster ties to simple acts of kindness and a sense of togetherness. While I did mention before that I don't feel as though I relate to my rooster sign, I do heavily relate to the mentioned traits. I often catch myself in a heavily empathetic nature, wanting to love people to extremes and desiring to make sure everyone feels included in said setting. It is of my nature to desire to want to care and be gentle with those around me.

    In response to John Berger's Why Look at Animals?, he discusses the paradox to observing animals, which is animals observing us. He states that " ... Animals are always the observed. The fact that they too can observe us has lost all significance ... " (pp. 257). The thought that comes to mind as I read this line of Berger's work, was when I was young and went to a zoo with my family. I remember how much I loved the penguins. They were (and still are today), one of my favorite animals. As I would go up to the glass i would run from one end of the exhibit glass to the other end. A few of the penguins would splash into the water and swim in the direction I ran. My mom thought that I had a special touch and soul when it came to animals because situations like this would often result when I came in contact with animals. The interesting thing is those penguins must've seen hundreds to thousand of people each day. While I'm sure they interacted with other observers than just myself, the weak to minimal relation I had to them clearly exhibits some form of "special touch" for the amount of interaction and connection I experienced with them.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for this post, Alyssa. Your aesthetic resistance to the rooster as a symbol for your traits interests me. There is a bit of wish fulfillment in the way we want to represented. And, though, you agreed with the narrative of the rooster, your own personal relationship to the "drab" rooster competes with another idealization of it. It'll be fun to hear what The Rat folk have to say about their sign. Again, thanks.

      Delete
  2. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  3. My Chinese astrological sign is the dog (1994). I don't feel connected to this animal in any way because I already feel very connected to cats, and truly believe the cat is my spirit animal. However, the horoscope for April 14, 2015 for the year of the dog matched how my Tuesday went exactly. The horoscope read, "You may be feeling feisty today. This isn't necessarily a bad thing. You'll be happiest when fighting for a cause or defending someone less fortunate. Too strong or blunt a way of talking doesn't win friends. Be more diplomatic if you want people to listen." This horoscope fit my day perfectly because I had gotten angry at my roommate and had spoken somewhat harshly at her. Afterwards, she sent me a text requesting that I be more polite when conversing with her in the future, which is basically what the horoscope was advising me to do as well.

    In John Berger's Why Look at Animals?, he writes, "With their parallel lives, animals offer man a companionship which is different from any offered by human exchange." I completely agree with this statement because of past experiences with pets. My first cat, Sugar, came into our family when I was only three. I got the blessing of being able to grow up with an animal friend, and experience the type of animal companionship that Berger is talking about. I loved that cat just as much as I loved some of my human friends (sometimes more), which only proves how strong a human-animal relationship can be. Sugar was a great cat all over her eleven years. RIP Sugar.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thanks for your post. There seems to a trend starting in this thread of competing wills where the animal symbol is off but the narrative/allegory is on point. Maybe, after writing paper #3, if you choose to observe a cat, you can see if you look at another cat the same way you might have observed Sugar.

    Your name comes up as "Unknown". It would be great of you could hook up the settings for your name, however you want to be known in this Blogosphere.

    ReplyDelete
  5. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  6. My Chinese astrological symbol is the monkey (1992). Monkeys are clever, charming, adaptable, bright, versatile, lively, smart...you get the picture. But they're also cunning, can be jealous, and are suspicious. I have to say, this description is pretty spot on when it comes to describing me (may be mildly hubristic to say I'm clever or smart, but I can at least say I'm definitely not dumb). In my family, my father is also born in the year of the money (1956), and I've noticed we tend to be exceedingly similar, which can sometimes cause discord. However, I'm also a skeptic as to how correct astrological signs are; maybe it's my "suspicious nature,” but when reading through the descriptions for each sign, I noticed a lot of overlap and repetition. Any person could find something in each description that fits their personality in some way.

    My relationship with meat is fairly straightforward; I'm an omnivore, with carnivore tendencies. My father is Italian/Mexican and is beyond proud his children eat meat. Carol Adams writes in "The Sexual Politics of Meat" that “meat is upheld as a powerful, irreplaceable item of food,” and in my family, it is. My father, brother and I all eat meat while my mother claims she could be vegetarian. We all chide her for it. Adams also writes “meat is a symbol of male dominance;” I would argue it is a symbol of dominance, period. It seems this pervasive way of thinking has bled down into how my family teases my mother for not eating meat; we somehow see it as a sign of weakness when meat is voluntarily not consumed. I’ll have to work on changing my view on this.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for this insight. Yes, I am also from a carni-strong omnivore tradition. I remember waaaay back—not that time is meant to forgive the joke or sentiment—but when vegan actor River Phoenix died from an OD or was it a bad combo or drugs I said (or some comedian said and I repeated it) that if he had eaten some meat maybe he's still be alive. Yup. Meat is discursively dominant in our cuture

      Delete
  7. My zodiac sign is the pig (1995). I personally do not really connect to the pig and I feel that most of these animals do not necessary represent us as people but are rather vehicles for humans to reflect human traits they see in themselves. I would also say that I feel some connection to character traits for pigs.
    In regards to John Berger’s piece Why Look at animals I strongly related to Berger’s discussion on the ways in which humans reflect their emotions and need on “pets”, the position now delegated to most animals. Berger explains that as humans become more and more dissatisfied with their own increasingly powerless and civilized lives, their “animals complete” and become an extension of their own identity. Berger explains that pets often “ ((offer) confirmation of aspects of his nature that would otherwise be unconfirmed…but the animal is dependent to the human” (Berger 251). I feel in my experiences with my dogs I reflect character traits that I see in myself onto them. For instance because I am a shy and introverted person I consider my dogs shy and introverted. In a way I almost consider them my spirit animal and use his behaviors to justify my own character actions to people as though we are both alike. However at the same time as Berger explains “the animal is completely dependent on the human”, which holds true as my dog depends on me and my family entirely for food, shelter, and support. Therefore even though I feel a close, emotional connection to my dogs and see so much of myself in them we are distinctively not equal but rather they are more like my children despite being full grown.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I love that you used "vehicle". It warms my heart that our Metaphor ppt slide is relevant to this discussion.

      Your last sentence was particularly insightful. Pet owners do project quite a bit on their dogs. That is why they are recognized as service animals by the health industry.

      Delete
  8. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I was born in 1995 and my Chinese astrological sign is the pig. I also very much agree with Michael Kushner when he wrote "that most of these animals do not necessary represent us as people but are rather vehicles for humans to reflect human traits they see in themselves." I was looking at a website that talks about the pig zodiac sign and some things caught my eye: "Romance will be very good for Pigs in 2015," which so far has been very true, ha-ha. Then there was a chart where it specified different types of pig, which there are five (Wood Pig, Fire Pig, Earth Pig, Gold Pig, Water Pig). I am the Wood Pig and it said the characteristics of the Wood Pig are that they are "good-natured, lovely, easy-going, generous, brave but irritable". I can actually really relate to all of these things. I particularly found a connection to last one. I am definitely a really sweet, go-with-the-flow type of girl, but at the same time, I do find that I can get grumpy or irritated. It just seems kind of funny.
    In Boria Sax's "Animals as Tradition", he writes, "Perhaps the greatest of the many ethical problems faced by humans beings at the beginning of a new millennium is deciding the extent to which we are entitled to alter the natural world for our convenience." This really made me think of places like the zoo and Sea World. I mean, it's true. We are constantly moving into nun-human's homes and making them are own every day. We just continue taking and forgetting that we are not the only ones inhabiting this planet. I mean, I think of it in this way: if animals could speak to us, everything would be so different. And I guess in a sense, who's to say that they don't speak to us? But what I'm saying is that if they could speak up when they're being done wrong, voice there opinion, it would be different. And it shouldn't take that. We should always be considerate of those who we are sharing this planet with, regardless of their ability to speak or not. But we seem to have a problem with taking advantage of others, humans and non-humans.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It is as if human as the great gentrifier of the natural world with animal and plants being the displaced inhabitants.

      Delete
  10. 1. My Chinese astrological sign is a rooster. I feel absolutely nothing about this reading. But rather than risking having nothing to say, I looked up the characteristics of the rooster as they were offered by the website. I found a lot of information that I never asked for like my polarity (Yin) and my foes (watch out, rabbits). but there were some interesting points. “Roosters leave little middle ground.” True. “Rooster people believe they are always right” True again. “Roosters love a good argument/need the energy they generate from debate.” Ding-ding! We have a winner. However, I was reminded that this analysis was meant for a human rather than a rooster because under the positive and negative applied traits, I fail to see what such gems like protective, blunt, or impatient have to do with a rooster.

    2. While reading John Berger’s “Why Look at Animals?” I was reminded of a popular animal activists’ argument that all animals (especially in regards to ones used for testing, entertainment, and other human interests/benefits) have the ability to feel. This often boils down to the classic interpretations that “morality is a feature of having a soul.” Berger writes, “gentleness, cross-temper, sagacity, they would argue are not moral qualities which can be ascribed to animals. And the behaviorists would support this objection”(Berger 11). Berger clearly disagrees with the argument that animals are incapable of morality. He goes on to say, “in dividing absolutely body from soul, he bequeathed the body to the laws of physics and mechanics, and since animals were soulless, the animal was reduced to the model of the machine” (Berger 11). This reduction of non-human animals to incapable, soulless beings is what allows humans the ability to ignore the reality of the dangers of human-centered motives. The trouble with still engaging in arguments like this today is that it shows that belief in human-exceptionalism continues to allow non-human animals to have their rights to safety and life cast into obscurity.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The Chinese astrological signs are like the Greco-Romano ones, the symbol is a concrete that points to something allegorical and abstract about a person born under the signs. The traits, have bee so far extrapolated from the animal form that it may be hard to see what "protective, blunt, or impatient have to do with a rooster". But, then again, when is the last time you tried to mess with a rooster?

      Your insight on Berger is great. Thanks.

      By the way, I'm a rabbit. It's gonna be a fun quarter!

      Delete
  11. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Speaking generally, the pig is depicted as a filthy creature whose name is often used as a prejorative in western cultures; This is in stark contrast to its role as the most "generous and honorable Sign of the Zodiac". I am intrigued by this dichotomy and feel connected to this almost martyrly characteristic of the Pig.

    Additionally, I was actually quite impressed at the profundity of this closing statement: "Pigs would do well to realize that there's more to life than being needed," especially from as dubious a source as astrology.com. It's a provocative thought -- albeit a depressing one -- and one that I find I am struggling to learn.

    My aversion to vegetables when I was young was because they are often green, which is my least favourite colour. But after reading Adams' thoughts on the association of vegetables to femininity and passivity ("Once vegetables are viewed as women's food, then by association they become viewed as "feminine," passive. pg 178) I wonder if that might be more relevant reason why, now no longer a little kid, I spend the least time at the produce section of the market. I have always unquestioningly perceived non-meat food items to be not as nutritious or fulfilling as meat, believing that most people NEED meat inherently, and never wondered where exactly my conclusions stemmed from. Since sexism is so wholly invasive and pervasive in other realms, though, to the point where I would argue is IMPOSSIBLE to not have internalized some of the (perverse) philosophies of an androcentric society, it would not be untenable to consider that the way we think of our diets are affected by subconscious associations as well.

    Incidentally, the McDonald's on Mission St had the Food Network playing on their TV and the program was doing a feature on a restaurant known for their barbecue. And then there was a montage was of all these Manly Men guzzling their ribs and totally not wiping their faces and there were like two girls sprinkled in there and they were eating salad and afterward the host was just congratulating the restaurant owners for establishing a place where guys could "eat like men" and where the women could eat corn or something, probably. His congratulations sat wrong with me at the time, and after reading Adams' piece, I feel I have gained more insight to my initial incredulity.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I chuckled at your observation of the passive Mc"Wimmin" set in the scene with active rib guzzlers. Are those the boneless ribs...those are just a whole other kind of human convenience and imagination.

      Delete
  13. I was born into the Zodiac Sign of the Rat (1996). According to the Chinese Zodiac I was born under the sign of charm and aggressiveness. This definitely is true when it comes to me. Both charm and aggressiveness are a huge part of me. I completely affiliate with the aggressiveness because I tend to get very hostile when it comes to social injustices. And the charming part perfectly suits me because I'm a very charismatic being when it comes to having a conversation with people. I feel that the Chinese zodiac nailed it; it essentially mirrors my actions on a daily basis. Well… at least in my point of view, everything seems to be connected to my essence.

    In the story “Why Look at Animals” by John Berger, he writes essentially of a particular and inter-connected journey that animals and humans have taken throughout history. He writes, “Animals first entered the human imagination as meat or leather or horn is to project a nineteenth-century attitude backwards across the millennia. Animals first entered the imagination as messenger and promised” (Berger 252). He touches upon key moments in his passage to support his claim that in the 19th century began a process that broke previous ties between humans and animals on earth. He essential implies at the idea that animals were once species with a higher value of respect and usefulness on this earth. I totally agree with Berger claim that, “Animals came from over the horizon, they belong there and here. Likewise they were mortal and immortal. An animal’s blood flowed like human blood, but its species was undying and each lion was Lion, each ox was Ox.” (Berger 253). It appears to be that there has always been a strong connection and bondage according to the analogy Berger proclaims with the whole blood flowing synchronization amongst animals and humans. It is arguable to say that we are species who need one another for survival. Most importantly, Berger analysis on animals and humans signifies that a strong connection with animals can be achieved if, and only if, we can accept the fact that we are species in this earth who share the same land and air.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thinking "species" is a great way to put it. I think "human" has gained so much weight over the centuries of literature, politics, and philosophy that it'll take something new to get us to think of ourselves as a species.

      Delete
  14. I'm a dog in the Chinese zodiac. I don't really feel any connection to this identification, as I don't see any way it can affect my day-to-day life, or life in general. While some of the things that are stated about a dog do apply to me ("less than polite, and sharply argumentative"), there are just as many that don't apply to me ("makes friends slowly"). I don't believe it has anything to do with the year I was born in. In my opinion, a lot of these horoscopes are vague enough to match a huge number of people in some way.

    I liked the John Berger quote from page 260 of the reader that reads "even if the animal is up against the bars, less than a foot from you, looking outward in the public direction, you are looking at something that has been rendered absolutely marginal..." It's interesting to think that zoos, where children go to see "wild" animals, only show animals that could not survive if they were released, as they are so dependent on the zookeepers after a while. Granted, I still love zoos because I enjoy looking at the animals, but I can't help but notice that the animals never seem active. They are not free or at home, no matter how well that cage is made to mimic their natural habitats.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yup, the word "wild" clearly has a string commercial meaning.

      Delete
  15. The lovely pig is my Chinese astrological sign. When first finding this out, it seemed clear to me I had very little in common with the animal of my birth year, besides sun-fearing pink skin. However, after reading up on the characteristics of the pig as an astrological sign, I found a few similarities. Contrary to common Western symbolism, the pig is strong and patient, self-indulgent yet generous to a fault. I’d like to think I share these qualities with the pig, but it would probably be far-fetched and even arrogant to say I feel connected to the pig; you can’t necessarily feel connected to something you fry up in a pan and eat. Maybe I’m just a self-hating carnivore, but I kind of felt evil trying to tell myself I was connected to a pig. Perhaps if I’m meat-free someday I can truly feel connected to the pig, but until then, the most I can say is that I feel connected to pork.

    I, just as many, grew up believing that zoos were a benevolent institution. It made perfect sense: the wild is a harsh place and zoos make it so animals can live in peace, without risk of being eaten. Certainly this is a nice thought but, as I eventually learned, it is also very far from the truth. John Berger’s, “Why Look at Animals?” delves into the concept of a zoo and the fact that it’s a futile attempt to establish genuine human and animal interactions. Zoos are instead a spectacle for human pleasure where we can gaze at the beauty of nature—well, nature taken away from nature and placed in a convenient spot—without any real regard for the livelihood of the animals within the zoo. Has anyone ever really seen a healthy tiger at a zoo that isn’t just lying around, waiting its days out? I particularly enjoy a point within Berger’s essay about how “[w]hat distinguished men from animals was born of their relationship with them” (254). Differences between humans and animals are real, just as fairy dust is real. We made them up based on assumption and they are still engrained within most of us today (myself included, admittedly). With these assumptions come inherent entitlement, in which we believe we can alter the lives of animals simply because its no skin off our backs. Zoos are an example of this facet of human psyche, and for this reason, I personally would be overjoyed to see them removed from our culture.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think about what zoos and what might come after a zoo. I think about the history of the zoo and how the first ones started because kings and queens had an overflow of gifts form their foreign agents in colonized spaces. It's a history tied to excess, occupation, subjugation, spectacle, empire building and conservation. And, when I say conservation, the reasons to conserve animals points, many times, to humans

      Delete
  16. My Chinese new year animal is the Rat. To my knowledge, the rat shows qualities of creativity and generosity. On one hand, I would strongly agree with the creative quality, mainly because I have always been fond of writing poems, drawing, and overall just expressing myself. I also believe that creativity has also allowed me to socialize with a colorful cast of people throughout the years; each one with their one expressed passions. I also believe that Creativity is one of the main factors in our lives that inspires us to strive for our goals.

    John Berger's article "why look at animals" had me drawn in from start to finish. The biggest point he made in his article was the similarity between the different types of looks animals and humans have. Berger describes this similarity as a "symbolic experience", mainly because there are gazes of compassion, ferocity, and many more are seen in the eyes of both animals and humans. As a result, this similarity creates a spiritual atmosphere that our community has followed throughout the years and continues to grow.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That we are animals too may partially justify how we read other animals, but we do obsess about the meaning of animals gazes we can't read out of context.

      Delete
  17. I'm very fortunate to be just another pig. I never should have gone to over to Circe's house. At the base level, I feel absolutely no connection to pigs. They strike me as very messy, and I'm pretty well organized. I am, however, not a picky eater, so there is still hope for this astrological calendar. After reading what being born a pig entails, it's apparent that emotion and overreaction are very common. Pigs, really don't strike me as dramatic animals, but I'll take their word for it. I really don't think I was meant to be a pig, maybe a dragon, those seem cooler. At the very least, I respect that they are okay with living in mud.

    I think that having an animal companion can be a beneficial relationship for the person, but the ethics of it are a topic for another time. John Berger states, "With their parallel lives, animals offer man a companionship which is different from any offered by human exchange. Different because it is a companionship offered to the loneliness of man as a species" (253). I think this quote speaks to the level of trust that can occur between a human and and an animal that is unattainable in a human to human relationship. This quote reminds me of my cat Numu, or Newman as I would later call him. Some man in our neighborhood found him and nobody would take him in. At 4 years old I answered the door and immediately took Numu. I loved him greatly and grew up with him, forming a very close relationship. I, like Berger's statement, was able to trust Numu differently than I could another human being.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I look forward to your paper #2 when you have to observe an animal. I will wonder if your relationship to Numu will color how you see another animal's gestures.

      Delete
  18. My Chinese astrological sign is the pig. When reading further into the profile of the pig, I found myself trying to fit into the list of its characteristics. I do not know very much about the Chinese astrological sign system, yet I find it very entertaining. In a sense, I feel that reading my "pig profile" is the telling of my future. As I am still trying to find who I am and what I want to do with my life, this felt like a way of telling me who I am. As the pig is supposed to be brave, honest, and straightforward, I'd like to think that I have these qualities. Further, I'd like to think that I am a hard-working person, and that I am given good fortune no matter what I do. Though I am very skeptical of this system's validity, I find it fun and interesting.

    In John Berger's "Why Look at Animals?" I found that one quote stood out the most. On page 253 he states that "animals offer man a companionship different from any offered by human exchange". I feel that I can relate to this completely. I have a little hypoallergenic dog back at home. On many levels however, he is not treated like a dog. He is treated like one of us. He doesn't eat dog food, but instead eats what we are having for dinner (even heated up). At night, he sleeps on the bed of my mom's bed. Further, if we ever go out of town, my mom hires a dog sitter to stay at home with him. This is instead of going to a dog kennel. He is viewed as a member of the family. The companionship he provides every member of our family is meaningful and strong. It is a companionship that differs greatly from any provided from another human friend, though both are strong in different ways.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Human food?! oh my.

      Horoscopes, pretty much any system of symbols—from images/words people tattoo or their "signature" jewelry—has the power to enhance what a person is about. I find horoscopes super amusing and when they are on point, I find myself making me (the subject) trying to fit the symbol (the object). It might be an interesting quest to compare your symbology across cultures: aztec, hindu, greco-romano, etc. Different animals in different cultures may also give you a little insight into history.

      Delete
  19. 1.My Chinese astrological sign is the monkey (1992). I do feel connected in some way to this sign. One of the reasons that I feel connected to the monkey is because monkeys are high-spirited love of life. I am a person that likes to be happy and make others happy. I like to see people happy and enjoying life. Another way I am connected to the monkey is that they develop wonderful skills that help them make important contributions to others. I am the type of person that likes to help others. I enjoy being able to help others. I think some of my charateritcs connect to the monkey but I also believe i don't connect with everything of the monkey.

    2.

    In John Berger's Why Look at Animals?, he writes " animals offer man a companionship which is different from any offered by human exchange. Different to the loneliness of man species"(253). I definitely agree with this statement I had a Chihuahua that was very aggressive with everyone else. Expect with me she was always very friendly and showing me affection. She was my pet for a very long time. She always showed me companionship but one of the times that i felt her company with me more was when i was going thorough some issues with my family. I would cry and she would come and seat on my lap. She wasn't able to respond to me or saying anything but her eyes would say a lot to me. She would look at me worry and i always remember her face because even though she couldn't respond to what i said I knew she understood. I had a very strong relationship with that not even with my friends I had. Sadly because of her age she passed away. But I will always remember her as my little companion.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It is amazing how pets, specifically cats and dogs, are responsive to human emotions. I often wonder if they respond to pitch of crying and laughter or react to emotion, first and foremost—perhaps a combination of both.

      Delete
  20. My Chinese astrological sign is the Snake. I’ve grown up having a fascination and admiration for all reptiles including the snake. I believe that they are misunderstood creatures and are commonly associated with negative connotations like fear and sin. I don’t view them in that way and they have always had my respect. As a astrological sign, the characteristics of the snake include, wisdom, being mysterious, independent and “rather private people who follow their own paths, no matter what others think.” I think that I also share these qualities, because I do not live with the concern for the judgements of others of me, life is rather short to be lived with such meaningless matters.

    I was thoughtfully provoked from reading excerpts from Carol J. Adams book, “ The Sexual Politics of Meat”, as she expressed the relationship of meat to male identity and gender inequality. And I quote, “Men who decide to eschew meat eating are deemed effeminate; failure of men to eat meat announces that they are not masculine” (p.177). I found this to be rather accurate, and in relation to how the public media portrays men in advertising foods, for example I can recall a Carls Jr. burger commercial where a provocative and scantily dressed woman, sensually takes a bite from a burger. It’s obvious this was intended for a male audience in contrast to women. It was also expressed that meat equates to strength and power. “Both the words “men” and “meat” have undergone lexicographical narrowing…Meat no longer means all foods; the word man, no longer includes women”(179). I have come to the realization that I do not frequently eat animal meat, and have made the connection to meat and masculinity. And the so called lesser foods, vegetables and grain are associated with femininity. After reading this article, I have begun to critically view my relationships to animal protein and the relationships of others to it. It will take some time for me to digest the reading and further analyze my relationship to my findings.

    ReplyDelete
  21. My Chinese astrological sign is the rat. Although I like rats and think that they make wonderful pets (I've owned a few), I don't feel any sort of connection to this sign. I did read about what being a rat entails, and some of it "relates" to me, but overall I believe that astrological signs are purposefully vague in order to appear credible when they're obviously not. I think they're fun, but I've never thought of them as factual or some kind of guiding factor on how I should live my life.

    In Berger's piece, he writes "Looking at each animal, the unaccompanied zoo visitor is alone. As for the crowds, they belong to a species which has last been isolated" (261). When I read this, I immediately thought about how as a child, I loved anything related to animals - this included the zoo. However, this past August, I visited the Oregon Zoo during one of my vacations and I was surprised when I felt extremely uncomfortable. Throughout my trip I questioned why humans view themselves as superior to other species, even going as far as to capitalize these animals for selfish reasons. (Obviously zoos can serve as protection for endangered species, but I also feel like a lot of the time, humans are at fault for animal endangerment/extinction in the first place.) The monkey exhibits in particular made me really feel the man-made "distinction" between human and animal - monkeys and people (understandably) appear to be very similar, yet we are conditioned to think of them as less than us, shown by the fact that they are in cages and we are not. This class is definitely helping me explore more of these types of concepts, and I'm interested in seeing how my relationships to other animals and zoos progress in the future.

    ReplyDelete
  22. My Chinese astrological sign is the Rooster. I feel like I can relate to some parts of this reading, but others feel completely wrong. The part I like the most of this sign (I read a bit about it on the website provided) would probably be that “Roosters leave little middle ground.” I definitely feel like when it comes to anything, I prefer either the intense/extreme version of it, or the mellow/not dramatic version. I don’t like being in that weird middle ground where it feels like nothing is really happening or it’s just “ok.” Another thing I can (unfortunately) relate to with this sign is that “Rooster people believe they are always right.” I’m known for being fairly stubborn at times and refuse to acknowledge when I’m wrong. It’s something I've been working on.

    The part that stood out to me the most in the reading was Berger’s quote “…animals offer man a companionship which is different from any offered by human exchange. Different because it is a companionship offered to the loneliness of man as a species”(253). I had a dog named Sugar growing up who I absolutely loved. Whenever I felt lonely or depressed, I would just go outside and hang out with her for a bit. It was like an instant pick-me-up that was always there and I loved her energy and excitement to see me. It made me feel like someone actually cared about me (during those angst ridden teen days). I was completely devastated when she passed away my freshman year of college, but we were all kind of waiting for it to happen since she was already 14. We have a cat where I live right now and it’s pretty much the same situation, I love hanging out with her when I’m lonely or stressed out, it just brings me such a great amount of comfort. I was having a really awful nervous breakdown around midnight not too long ago when I just saw her hanging out on the couch. I decided breathing exercises weren't working and I went to lay down with her and pet her. She just let it happen and it was so soothing hearing her purrs and just having her there with me. Definitely one of my fondest experiences with a pet.

    ReplyDelete
  23. My Chinese astrological sign is a rat. Do I feel connected to this animal? Yes and no. In the story of the Chinese zodiac, the rat wins the race by betraying his cat friend and pushing him into the river (hence the origin story of why cats chases rats in the Chinese perspective). In this sense, I do not feel connected to the rat in any way. I don’t see myself as that type of person and it would pain me to know that anyone saw me as that type of person. Another way I do not feel connected to the rat is the usage of the word ‘rat’. When people ask me what my Chinese zodiac sign is, I tend to say ‘mouse’ instead because I don’t like some of the negative connotations that come with the term rat. However, in other ways, yes I do feel connected to the rat. As a child, my grandmother use to tell me that my constant curiosity towards everything around me is a very rat like characteristic, and I do like that quality in me.

    John Berger writes, in his article Why Look at Animals, “-animals offer man a companionship which is different from any offered by human exchange. Different because it is a companionship offered to the loneliness of man as a species.” This sentence hit me very close to home. Back at home in Hong Kong, I have a cat, back at home in Taipei, my uncle’s family has a dog; both animals, I feel, offer a type of companionship that speaks to the loneliness inside us humans. They don’t ask for explanations, nor do they understand what we may be going through, all they do is sit by you, and just by doing so you feel so much less alone. Now that I’m all the way in California, I find myself missing my pets as much as I miss my family. I’ll be honest, I didn’t think I would miss my pets this much.

    Another quote Berger said that reflects the relationship between my pets and I is “-the accompanying ideology, animals are always the observed. The fact that they can observe us has lost all significance.” I find this very unsettling because until reading Berger’s article, I have indeed forgotten the fact that my pets can observe humans too. This makes me wonder what the impassive look on my cat’s face means. It makes me think that my cat never forgotten the fact that cats were worshipped as Gods thousands of years ago, it seems although he asks for respect in return for his companionship.

    ReplyDelete
  24. My Chinese astrological sign is the rat. I don't necessarily agree with the reading because I don't think I relate to many of the traits it says a rat is. think some of the personality traits fit me but a majority don't. I don't feel very connected to a rat because typically people don't like rats, and I don't really care for them.

    In, "Why Look at Animals," John Berger states, "Animals offer man a companionship which is different from any offered by human exchange" (253). I can relate to this statement through my relationship with my dog. He is most energetic and playful when I am around. He is always the most excited to see me when I come home compared to the rest of my family. When we go on walks though he is pretty protective of all us. I just like the fact that he is always there and very loving toward any of us because we can't always count on people to be like that.

    ReplyDelete
  25. The rat is associated with cunning, empathy, sociability, and great work ethic. I can see one side of the rat in me: I love to work hard when there is a great incentive, whether it be personal or monetary. However, I am completely apathetic when it comes to dealing with other people. I'm extremely introspective when it comes to friends or choosing who to hang around.

    In the summer of 2013, my family visited the Philippines. As a "welcome home" gift, my uncle bought a goat. At random times of the day, it would scream, and wouldn't stop screaming until you gave it food. My uncle tasked me time to time to take the goat on a food tour. The tour would take place in my uncle's front yard, where the goat would not only mow the lawn for us, but also fertilize it with what looked like small whopper candies. At the end of the trip, we sent it to the slaughterhouse and got it chopped up into small cuts of meat, which we used in various dishes for our good bye fiesta.

    John Berger in "Why Look at Animals" claims that "Animals offer man a companionship which is different from any offered by human exchange" (253). Reading this specific quote reminded me of the relationship between me and the goat. The goat lent me its mowing, fertilizing, and eventually life energy in exchange for nothing from me. Though I did take it for food tours, the only thing stopping the goat from looking for food on its own was the rope around his neck. The relationships between humans and certain animals are extremely one sided.

    ReplyDelete
  26. My Chinese astrological sign is the rat (1996). I don't necessarily like the fact that I'm a rat because rats are not seen as something beautiful or acceptable. I don't think I fit the characteristics under the sign of the rat. I'm the complete opposite of most of the traits under that rat but I do fit some like being smart.
    In John Berger's "Why Look at Animals" he states that "Animals offer a man companionship which is different from any offered by human exchange" (253). Just like Kaylie, I can relate to this. I believe that this is true because I also have a dog and my relationship with my dog is different than the relationship with others. I am from Los Angeles so when I go home my dogs acts different than my family. I feel sometimes that my dog cares more about what I have to say, even though they obviously don't talk.

    ReplyDelete
  27. My Chinese zodiac sign is the monkey, which means jack squat. Astrology is utter hokum, based around confirmation bias and the Forer effect. I do have a lot in common with monkeys, though. Such as substantial portion of my genome. However, I have always fancied my spirit animal to be the Sun Bear (or their cousin, the moon bear). Sun bears are the most laid back dudes in the zoo. If they went to college, they'd fit in super well at UCSC. They love to sleep, chill in the sun, and eat honey. However they are also quite inquisitive, which leads them to invent games and toys to entertain themselves-- something I relate to a lot as a game designer who gets bored easily. Here is a video of a Moon Bear who has taught himself how to wield a bo staff:
    Hi-yah!: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ghgg_fukbvU

    A: Berger says "The pet is either sterilized or sexually isolated, extremely limited in its exercise, deprized of almost all other animal contact, and fed with artificial foods. The is the material process which lies behind the truism that pets come to resemble their masters or mistresses. They are creatures of their owner's way of life."
    This speaks strongly to my relationship with my kitten. As a kitten, I am trying to teach her to "behave" and to "house train her." But really, all that means is that I am trying to teach her to be human and follow our rules. Not to bite me, even though I know it's just her kitten instincts to bite a little in her play. To stay away from the cords behind my computer. In part for her own safety, but also because as a human I want them their for my humanly concerns. But this metal wrapped in plastic only means "high voltage lifestream to my precious electronics" to me as a human-- to a cat it means "very enticing dangling plaything!" Basically, "training" a pet is to take away some fundamental nature of the wild animal and reinforce the traits humans have determined to be desirable-- a rather arrogant outlook, if we're being honest.

    ReplyDelete
  28. My Chinese Zodiac sign is the Monkey. I don't really put a whole lot of thought into horoscopes, and I'm skeptic about Astrology. I don't feel particularly "connected" to the horoscope reading, though I do relate to some of the traits (prone to reckless behavior, romantic, restless). I agree with Charles on how Astrology is based around "confirmation bias". When we read a horoscope, or the particular traits of a zodiac, it is very easy to look for specific examples in your life that "match up" with what we read. Therefore making it much easier to believe that we "relate" to the horoscope or animal. If I were to put myself in the position of someone who really believed/was interested in Astrology, I would say that I feel more connected to my zodiac sign "Cancer" as opposed to a Monkey, (mainly due to the personality traits of a Cancer).

    Looking at a quote from the Berger reading, on page 253 he states: "Animals offer man a companionship which is different from any offered by human exchange". Though I don't have a pet of my own, my cousin in England has a Rhodesian Ridgeback named Bruno. My relationship with Bruno is much different than my relationships with other humans. With Bruno, I often feel an unconditional love and acceptance that I don't experience often. Every time he sees me, he jumps on me and gives me a hug. I'll sit and talk to him for hours even though he can't respond.

    ReplyDelete
  29. 1. My Chinese astrological sign is the rooster (1993). The only real connection to this I feel is that I generally like roosters, and have a strange fondness for kitchenware/decorations that depict them (I'm not sure why...) Like many others here, I also don't really believe in Astrology and horoscopes. However, I did take a look at what the site had to say about roosters in general, and there were a few things that caught my attention. For one, the color of the rooster is violet. While I'm not actually sure what this means, my favorite color is purple, so that was neat. As for actual traits of the rooster, the line "some are the strong, mysterious and silent types" stood out to me, mostly because I have a running joke with my roommate that I like to remain mysterious because she feels that, even after four years of know each other and living together, she still doesn't know a whole lot about me. Another line that stood out to me was that if someone wants to be friends with a rooster they need to "be prepared not the take things personally". My friends know that I'm pretty sarcastic and show affection by making fun of them, so they shouldn't be offended when that happens. In fact, I jokingly tell them that if I'm not making fun of them then they should be worried. Overall, though, I still feel that this reading isn't very accurate to my personality and still don't feel much of a connection to it.

    2A. Like a bunch of other people here, the line from the Berger article that stood out to me the most was "Animals offer man a companionship which is different from any offered by human exchange. Different because it is a companionship offered to the loneliness of man as a species” (253). I feel that this statement is very accurate. I've a cat for almost nine years now. Since we got her as a kitten, she has always stuck the closest to me. Both of my parents work, so when I'm home it's usually just me and her in the house. During that time, we don't really do a whole lot together. Most of our interactions are just that she'll come sleep next to me and I'll pet her and talk to her as if she will actually care and respond to what I'm saying. However, even though we don't do a whole lot together, and she isn't nearly as affectionate as a dog would be, I still feel a sense of companionship with her. When I'm at school and home alone, I miss having her around to keep me company (as she stays with my parents in SF since my apartment doesn't allow pets). She really does make it so I don't feel as lonely when no one else is at home, which Berger says is the reason we have pets.

    ReplyDelete
  30. My zodiac sign is a rat. I suppose I don’t feel much of a connection with them as a species, but I do sympathize with them. They are treated by our society as the lowest class of animals, either exterminated or bred as feed for carnivorous animals. As for the characteristics of the sign, I feel as though they are somewhat accurate.
    “From this viewpoint, both women and plants are seen as less developed and less evolved than men and animals. Consequently, women may eat plants, since each is placid; but active men need animal meat.”(Adams pg 179) This quote resonated with my own relationship with meat and meat eating. Growing up I was taught, as most girls are, that being thin was equated with being pretty. And to be thin, one must eat vegetables and reject fatty, carb filled foods such as meat and meat products. I became a vegetarian at a young age, influenced by my love of animals and secret desire that in becoming a vegetarian I would suddenly be as skinny as the rest of my friends. It didn’t happen that way, I didn’t lose weight and ultimately gained. I didn’t understand why I wasn’t skinny, women were supposed to be thin, and to be thin you had to eat vegetables, and I was a vegetarian. After years of dieting and self-hatred, I came to UCSC, and I ate for myself. There were no family members to tell me what I should be eating, so I started eating meat again, I binge ate unhealthy food and started eating more sporadically. My family, friends, and coworkers tell me how good and skinny I look, when I only lost weight due to an unhealthy diet and semi disordered eating. This situation juxtaposed against what I was raised to believe, that vegetables=healthy=skinny=pretty, while meat=unfeminine=fatty=unattractive.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for sharing your relationship to food as described by Adams. Discourse around food is mired in horrible abuses. One side there is policing of food intake that creates anxiety around it, on the other side there is the lack of food intake that creates larger anxiety and war.

      Delete
  31. I am the year of the Dog. In the Great Race of the Chinese Zodiac, the dog was known to be the best swimmer of the twelve animals. However, at the part where the animals had to cross a river during the race, his passion for swimming and personality of always doing what makes him happy overcame his focus on race causing him to finish in 11th place. Based on his actions, I found that I can actually relate to the dog, for instance, I am a swimmer too and I believe in the idea that winning is not always the top priority just like the dog decided to keep swimming. I realize that life is made up of the many moments and how we live each moment determines the life we live. It’s about doing what makes you happy, which is exactly what the dog did in the river. That’s what I focus on. However, this sometimes lead to shortcomings and not always winning the prize but if you’re happy, nothing matters. There is a difference between needing something and wanting something and in my eyes, needing less is having more. I strive to live in the moments.
    The dog’s is also known to be easygoing, friendly and loyal characteristics. I strive to making new friends, be understanding and accepting while limiting judgement but most importantly, I assure to myself that I will always practice loyalty and honesty with my friends, my peers and especially with my family. Being the eldest child in my family, I’ve grown with a natural instinct to to always look out my younger siblings, while doing my best to be a good example. I feel like this matches the protective nature of the dog.
    I am one with the dog, plus I love dogs.

    ReplyDelete
  32. My Chinese astrological sign is a dog. I don't actually feel particularly connected to dogs though I've grown up with them and love them. However, I feel like my relationship with my other animal companions is about the same. There's no particular draw. Maybe it's because I grew up with such an array of animals (quails, lovebirds, rats, bearded dragon, rosy boa, dogs, cats, guide pigs, rabbits, hamsters) and so I just kind of learned to appreciate all their quirks and personality traits. When I looked at today's horoscope for dog it said "You'll shine in any social setting" which is absolutely not me. I'm really uncomfortable in a lot of social settings and prefer to be in more low key surroundings. I don't put much stake in horoscopes so maybe thats why it doesn't resonate with me.

    ReplyDelete
  33. I really resonate with Adams piece and I've read a lot by her before. I mean the whole animal food industry is predicated on the exploitation of the female reproductive system. Article insemination, dairy and eggs all rely on exploiting the female body for profit and so I absolutely think there's an argument to be made for feminism and veganism to be interconnected. In Adams piece she talks about how bacon is the absent referent for pig and rape is for women. A body becomes simplified down to a single action or thing that can come out of it rather than being valued as a being. There's a great blog on intersectionality run by A. Breeze Harper called Sistah' Vegan on the praxis of race, gender, and species. I find her work similar to Adams but from a WOC point of view. I know that my relationship to meat and animal protein has changed radically in the last 6 years. I don't eat any animal products because I don't think it's okay to use another's body for my own gain. I can survive and be healthy without animal products. I also think food justice is deeply interconnected with issues like race, class and gender. It's also related to environmental justice.

    ReplyDelete
  34. My Chinese Sign is a Monkey (1992). When looking at the description of a monkey it describes them as confident, high spirited, spontaneous, and are clever at getting themselves out of any situation. Without sounding cocky, I would have to say this describes me perfectly. I always seem to turn any situation whether good or bad into my advantage but I can be really manipulative and superficial. I feel that I'm extremely connected to my animal but my lucky number is totally not 10.

    “Meat has been equated with male dominance and privileged masculinity and has become ascendant in our culture over types of food not derived from the flesh of animals.” Adams essay defines animals as food. They are resources for human survival that have no say or actions other than to boost the ego of the male persona. However, it does portray animals that are hunted and eaten by man to be dominating figures because they are held at a higher standard than vegetables.
    As unimportant as animals are normally portrayed in literature, Adams holds them to a very high standard in this essay. In our human culture the animals we eat are potentially the deciding factor on sexism, racism, and classism. Without them, we wouldn’t have dominated male figures in our society. Animals play huge roles in our everyday life; they are not as irrelevant as some believe.
    When comparing this to my life and how I was raised, I find this essay extremely interesting. The essay talks about how men are the meat eaters and they deserve the best portions of the meal, they are served first. However, in my family the women and children are served first and then the men are served last. Being Native American may have something to do with that. In my religion, women are held at a very high standard. They are the nurtures and are considered just as valued as the men if not more.

    ReplyDelete
  35. I was born in 1984. My Chinese astrological symbol is the rat. I was a little grossed out by that at first, but then immediately started reflecting on why my initial emotion that of disgust. Not being able to find any valid reason for this, I became concerned because this resembles a prejudice so much. Sure enough, one of the negative characteristics of a person born in the year of the rat is that they are critical.

    For how quickly I found a connection to my astrological symbol, I don’t feel like enough of the other listed characteristics reflect who I am. I only agree with half of each list of characteristics that are meant to describe me.

    A: I completely agree with Boria Sax’s claim that “Every name places an animal in a tradition that is constantly developing. It surrounds the animal with ideas and associations.” When I was much younger and was given my pet pug, I named him “Feldman” after the late Marty Feldman, the bug-eyed actor who played Igor, the lab assistant and house servant in the 1974 comedy film, The Young Frankenstein. Of course, I named him this because of the ocular similarity. Mr. Feldman’s character, Igor, is portrayed as the slightest bit foolish, uninformed, and easily confused. I find this comparable to my dog’s facial expressions, which suggested that he was interested in something yet unable to understand it. He did this by rotating his head left and right, back and forth. In the later part of my dog’s life, he developed a white raccoon mask to contrast his all black hair. Also, until now, I never correlated my dogs entire white face and black body hair with Marty’s white face peering out from his all black clerical robe. I love this newly found symbolism. It helps me feel even closer to my dog.

    ReplyDelete
  36. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  37. I was born in 1995, making my Chinese astrological symbol the rat. I remember when all my classmates and friends first discovered that we all had different horoscopes corresponding to our birth year for the first time back in grade school. I always loved animals and I was exited to find out what animal I was; however, when I learned I was a pig, I wasn't exactly thrilled. When I was younger, I thought of pigs as gross, smelly animals that make weird little snorting noises and that's definitely not how I wanted to picture myself! However, I was a lot younger then and I now know that when you consider your astrological animal sign, you are not suppose to compare your physical characteristics.

    Therefore, when asked to do this assignment, I decided to do a little research about the pig as a symbol because I haven't really thought about it since grade school. One website told me that pigs are "diligent, compassionate, and generous" which is something I would have never thought of before. These are three traits that I would love to describe myself as, so maybe being a pig isn't as bad as I thought. Another website told me something, maybe not as positive as the one before, but one I could definitely relate to. This website said that pigs are "quick tempered, but hate arguments and quarreling", and that perfectly describes me. I always seem to get bothered by things easily, but I never want to deal with them. So maybe I am a pig in that sense. After reading more about the pig, I discovered that I am more of a pig than I originally thought.

    John Berger's analyzes the evolution of human-animal relations throughout history in "Why Look at Animals". One claim Berger makes that speaks to my experiences with zoos as a child is that "The zoo cannot but disappoint. The public purpose of zoos is to offer visitors the opportunity of looking at animals. Yet nowhere in a zoo can a stranger encounter the look of an animal." This claim, unfortunately, speaks nothing but the truth. I remember as I child getting so amped up and exited to see all my favorite animals up close and in action at the zoo. I wanted to see them running around with joy in their eyes and passion in their hearts, just as they might do so in the wild. However, this had never been the case with any trip I made to the zoo. The gorillas aren't running around; they are laying around. The tigers aren't attacking prey; they are staring at prey through the cracks in their metal cage. Nothing but disappointment, but this disappointment cannot and should not be linked to the animals.

    Berger later goes on to say that the reason for this is because animals become marginalized through the existence of zoos. Maybe this disappointment was due to the vision I had about how I thought animals really acted, or at least how they acted in their real, natural habitat. Maybe my vision is still true, but you just cannot see that at zoos because the zoo is where we successfully take the animal out of the animal. So Berger is correct in the sense that if you go to the zoo to see animals, odds are you're not going to see one just like I never have. All you will see is an object in a cage.

    ReplyDelete