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Bad Publicity for Snakes?

O.K. I found another movie with the snake as the bad guy. I just watched the movie Rango with lizard with the voice of Johnny Depp. The head bad guy gunslinger was a rattle snake with a machine gun built into his tailed( don't ask). Always with the snake staryotype in kids movie when they believe everything they see.
 
yeah sort of but it was more of the " I wont kill you today but don't try to cross me kind of thing". The snake didn't exactly turn good if you know what I mean.
 
Pal-O-Mine said:
I think the chicken soup idea is great too! Those are great books. I think "Chicken Soup for the Pet Lovers Soul" should be a required book to have in Vet. hospitals waiting room; short, uplifting stories for people worried about their pet to get lost in. Great idea! Wish I had come up with it first! Grumble, grumble!

And reptiles DEFINITELY deserve their own version of it!:) We've got a lot of good, creative writers here. I'm sure we can come up with enough stories from different people to fill a book!

Devon
Click to expand...

Devon, maybe you and I can oversee the project. I have my other writing projects so it isn't something I'd want to undertake on my own, but we both seem to have a lot of the same thoughts and I honestly think it'd be great.

And should someone have a story but not want to write it I'm sure we can set them up with a writer willing to get their story down on paper. :) We could also throw in basic facts and information around the stories... like each story comes with its own set of facts.

Just some ideas.

Machine gun tail?? o_O (what will they think of next?!)
 
I LOVE the multiple-stories idea! I'm a writer as well and would be happy to collaborate on that.
 
Okay Caryl! I'll start making a list of interested people. If there's anyone else, just let me know. When I get some more details hammered out I'll be putting up a thread for the project and will make sure all interested parties are aware of it. :)
 
For some reason that I don't really quite understand, humans seem to love to lend human characteristics to animals. Unfortunately the traits we slap onto certain animals are generally mis informed as to how the animal actually behaves. The damage runs deep though and human prejudices are solidified.

Another example besides the snake vs rodents/small cute mammals example that you brought up is the parallel of hyenas vs. lions. In the Lion King the lions are depicted as benevolent ruling creatures while hyenas are scavenging ghouls. In reality, hyenas are actually very social, coordinated, successful pack hunters. Lions are actually more likely to come upon a hyena kill, overpower them, and scavenge for the remains.

Most people seem to prefer the fanatical view of lions as the "king of the jungle" and their hyena counterparts as mangy thieves. I think the same is true about snakes. People just get an idea in their heads from the media, and especially if that idea was planted at a young age, it just sticks and becomes part of their world view.

I think it shows a disrespect of animals to view them this way. I think one of the grave errors of mankind is to assume that we are somehow a better or more sophisticated life form than any other on this planet. The idea that we can just assign traits to animals who are in my opinion, more self sufficient and at harmony with the world than we are, is very egotistical. For some reason many people seem to prefer to try to understand animals in terms and relation to how our own lives work instead of observing that animal and the way it actually lives. *sigh* Not sure where I'm going with this really, I just wish animals weren't so looked down upon and used for our own devises I guess.
 
While I understand completely your point of view, I think humans translate animals in a way thats easy for them. Its easier for them to relate to an animal with human-like qualities so they put these qualities on an individual in the animal world. Its not correct, just easier for them. ( So I guess I'm saying that most people who don't live close to nature are just plain lazy! Sorry but that's how it is! )

My father didn't allow me to see a lot of Disney movies when I was little because of this. I remember Disney had brought out a "nature" movie in the seventies and he forbad me to see it because he believed this movie told the viewer what they WANTED to believe about animals not what was actually true. The facts they presented on certain animals were vague or just blatantly incorrect. This movie infuriated him!

There are no inherently BAD animals. Just our interpretation of animals that's bad. All animals just do what nature designed them to do to survive. Sometimes that means another animal has to die. Does that make them evil? No. It just makes them survivors.

Most people live separate from this. So we translate this struggle as good versus evil. This is just what people do and what we will continue to do. But we do have the power to shape this in our stories we tell to others and our children.

Devon
 
I grew up with Disney. I personally think the Lion King was the best Disney movie ever and even as an adult it's one of my most favorite films. I don't take the story as fact, but I still enjoy it. I think the key to ANY form of media is to realize it's a form of entertainment. Though not everyone does and that's how many people, animals, etc come to be viewed in a way that may not be completely (or anywhere near) accurate.

For anyone with the ability to separate fiction from fact... I think a little creative splurging doesn't hurt. Unfortunately, creative splurging does cause problems as a lot of folks are more than willing to believe anything coming from Hollywood is fact. :rolleyes:

My Mom banned me from Harry Potter until right before the 5th book released because the church told her it was devil's work. She was the same way with dragons, but to a lesser degree. She didn't like spells and witchcraft, even make believe. It took a LOT of convincing, but eventually she let me own the books and movies (which is the extent of my interest, though since the second movie I've been unimpressed). A few years ago, she picked up the first Harry Potter book and read it for herself and has now read the entire series TWICE! Pretty good for someone who originally thought it was evil.

My point: She learned it was a form of entertainment, that it was a story to enjoy. She learned to overcome her mindset that a book was evil because of its fantastical content. It took a positive influence and time, but she got there.

Given the proper time and a healthy influence anyone can overcome their fear or hate of snakes. They can be taught and shown what is good, how to respect, and how to teach others what they've learned. Granted there are stubborn individuals who will believe whatever they want, in spite of how many times they're beaten over the head with the facts.

But... we can keep beating them, because it's fun. :laugh:
 
There was a kid in my old neiborhood who brought home a harry potter book that belonged to her friend and her mom thought it was so evil she thew it outside and burned it. Talk about crazy.
 
Yeah that's extreme... My Mom was never that bad about anything. She had her beliefs and way of thinking, while she was an avid church-goer she was fairly strict about enforcing them on me. But when she lost faith in the church she opened up to things she felt were "bad" previously.

My Mom is a very cool lady, for the record. I'm not at all talking down about her, in fact I'm very proud of her for letting go of generalized BS and forming her own decisions. She's been a lot more open-minded in recent years. :)
 
My parents let me read whatever I wanted as a kid. I also had unrestricted access to books of artwork and museums. I had two Arthur Rackham books that showed breasts, my friends went crazy when they saw them. They acted so immaturely I wanted them out of my house. By the time I was in the 11th grade I finally got an art teacher that let us draw nudes in class. I feel lucky to have grown up in a den of art and science without the overbearing conditions of organized religion.
 
Em Wright, I would love to contribute to the Chicken Soup book! I think it's a fantastic idea!

I believe that education is the best way to portray snakes in a good light. I was scared of snakes until I volunteered at a wildlife center and had to take care of them! I, too, had the mindset that all snakes were just waiting for a chance to bite, and were miserable in their tiny cages (I was introduced to PETA when younger, but I am now waaay over that!). I would get scared and shy away from a snake's head when s/he approached my arm or hand, yet now my snake lounges around my neck (well, she used to, until she figured out that my long curly hair was a great place to burrow in. Now she is strictly supervised!).

I plan on starting a Herpetology Club at my high school (I'll be a freshman). My breeder's son is starting one at another high school in the district, and I am so excited! I think it'd be awesome to do reptile shows at elementary and middle schools. Stereotypes are the one thing that really gets me--I've been educating adults and children about rats and snakes since I was 10 (I'm now 14). We have a park behind our house, so what I do in my free time is bring out my snake so the kids can pet her! My snake (Estelle) is so tolerant, she is a perfect ambassador snake! Needless to say, I can't think of one child in my neighborhood who hasn't asked their parents for a pet rat when I did education with them.

Education is key. By doing it, you're saving lives, snake lives.
 
Anerybree, I'll write your name down and when I get stuff going I'll let you know!

I think it's great you show your snake around and educate your neighbors and people at school! Way to go!! :D
 
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