Of Penguins and Men

This past weekend, I watched "March of the Penguins." I am often accused of anthropomorphizing animals by those who think animals are all reflexes and biological instincts with no consciousness or feelings. I don't know how someone with such beliefs could continue to believe in such a way after seeing the film. It is clear that animals feel and have fealty, express loyalty, and experience grief and pain. The story of the mating ritual of these emperor penguins makes these realities abundantly clear--whether you see a penguin show tendernous and commitment to another penguin and their offspring, or whether you see the penguins who survive the arduous journey stand (sadly) over one of their fallen comrades or young, or watch a bereaved mother penguin actually try to steal another's young. Some animals are really no different than us, even though they can't grasp with a thumb and use tools or verbally express themselves through human languages. Perhaps those things aren't important in the end anyway if we are all the same at the core. I highly recommend the film. It was amazing, educational, and touching.