March of the Penguins

I have not seen this film, so if any of my information is incorrect I apologize in advance, it is just what was relayed to me.

To make a long story short: at a recent party a family member recommended that anyone who has not seen March of the Penguins see it, saying that it was an amazingly powerful film that will make anyone cry. Apparently every year the penguins go through a grueling mating ritual, after which the mother will trek 70 miles to find food for their young while the father waits and guards the egg so that it does not touch the ice, freeze, and break. Needless to say, I got some dirty looks when I asked "What's the big deal? It's what they're biologically inclined to do." I went on to tell them that the only reason anyone finds it touching or moving is because they unintentionally apply human thought characteristics to the animals, thus making their actions seem based on compassion, love, loyalty, etc. rather than nature/instinct... after all, they're just penguins.

I have told some friends about this scenario, and answers have ranged from "well yeah" to "what the hell is wrong with you, is your heart made of stone?" (The former usually from men, the latter from women... other family members gave me crap for it later but never really confronted me).

So I'm posting this for anyone else's take on the issue. I'm by no means an insensitive guy, but I really just don't see eye to eye with most people on this.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

The movie is well worth watching. It shows many things that these monarch penguins do to survive the harshest environment on earth.

Yeah, I'm not arguing that it's a bad documentary, I'm sure someone who enjoys documentaries about nature would greatly appreciate it. My point was about the emotional aspect, because aside from the obvious educational value I don't see the emotional aspect of it.

When I was watching the movie, I kept wondering how they would taste. So I can relate to not getting emotionally worked over.
The documentary did show the females, who's eggs had broken, trying to steal other female's eggs. And it did show the penguins doing something that kinda resembled human kissing and, oh yeah, they seemed to really dig swimming in ice water. So I can see how some people would be touched.

[hmkpoker]

[ QUOTE ]
"What's the big deal? It's what they're biologically inclined to do."

[/ QUOTE ]

I get dirty looks when I say that about people [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[NotReady]

[ QUOTE ]

I have not seen this film


[/ QUOTE ]

This film was written about in a George Will column which prompted a thread you can find here
.

I mentioned in the thread that we don't know what penguins like so it's entirely possible that the march is the high point of a penguin year. If you've ever read Call of the Wild you might see what I mean. I can't imagine being hooked to a sled and running as hard as I can through the snow all day every day until I die from exhaustion, but London implies that's exactly what a sled dog wants to do.

[ QUOTE ]
Needless to say, I got some dirty looks when I asked "What's the big deal? It's what they're biologically inclined to do." I went on to tell them that the only reason anyone finds it touching or moving is because they unintentionally apply human thought characteristics to the animals, thus making their actions seem based on compassion, love, loyalty, etc. rather than nature/instinct... after all, they're just penguins.

[/ QUOTE ]
And despite the fact that I know/knew this I went ahead and got a little watery-eyed anyway. It's a very well made movie - you really would have to be cold not to feel something.

Oh, and "compassion, love, loyalty" are just nature/instict for us. Is it really so hard to beleive that non-human animals share some of our emotional instincts (even if they aren't nearly as complex as ours)? The idea that only humans could possibly have emotions is one of the most bizarre "scientific" notions I've ever come accross.

[OtisTheMarsupial]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
"What's the big deal? It's what they're biologically inclined to do."

[/ QUOTE ]

I get dirty looks when I say that about people [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]

Great answer.

Many animals experience emotions. Emotions are not unique to humans.

[ QUOTE ]
I can't imagine being hooked to a sled and running as hard as I can through the snow all day every day until I die from exhaustion, but London implies that's exactly what a sled dog wants to do.


[/ QUOTE ]

Sled dogs have been bred to pull sleds. All dogs have been bred to love their masters. Very few of these dogs die, even in the iditerod ( the gruelling race from Anchorage to Nome ). Those that do, usually are found to have congenital heart problems.

The penguins are marching inland because the ice flows are constantly shifting and changing ( What starts out as 70 miles, may end up being far closer to shore by the time the eggs hatch.) Also, the penguins instinctively know where the ice is thickest and least likely to break, this happens to be quit a march inland. New born penguins can't cope with the sea and predators lurking near the sea.

What the hell is wrong with you, is your heart made of stone?!!