Some Questions To Ponder

Credit goes to fellow totemist and therianthrope Paleo for coming up with these. The questions are not meant to be answered as a meme so much as to serve as food for thought--something that most people within the totemic and therianthropic circles do precious little of. Reposted with permission.

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1. What was your first exposure to the animal in question? What were the first emotional or symbolic associations you formed to the animal in question?
2. What nonfiction books have you read about this animal? Have you watched any documentaries about this animal? Did any of these provide more depth of information than the others? Did any of them conflict on the facts they gave? If so, how could you go about finding which ones are more accurate?
3. Have you encountered any fictional books, movies, or television shows starring this animal? If so, how realistically was the animal portrayed? If the animal was anthropomorphized (talking animals, animals with human societies), in what way did the process of anthropomorphism bring the animal closer to human ideals? Were the animals shown as friendly and heroic or mean and villainous? How do you think these depictions color the way our culture views the animal’s natural behavior? How do you think these depictions may have colored your own view of the animal’s natural behavior?
4. When your research into an animal brings forth a fact that conflicts with your current view of it, how do you react? For instance, if you associate wolves primarily with strong, friendly family bonds, how did you react to learning that brutal harassment and killing occur within wolf packs? (If this fact is new to you, research the history of the Druid Peak pack of Yellowstone and the killing of a wolf called Number 40F.) Did this knowledge change your opinion of the animal? If so, how?
5. When you think of the animal, do you only focus on traits you find admirable? Are you able to objectively admit to and face the things about the animal that may be disturbing, repulsive, or uncomfortable to reflect on? Do you think you can find a way to assimilate your knowledge of the animal into a more holistic view, resisting the urge to romanticize or vilify?
6. Do you see this animal as being somehow “better” than other animals? If so, why? Does this view come from an emotional reaction or from objective observation? Even if this animal is your personal favorite, are you able to appreciate the uniqueness and importance of other animals?
7. What is the relationship of humans to this animal? Are you able to put aside any anger and negative feelings (even if it may be justified) to come up with constructive ideas on how humans can better coexist with this animal? Are there any actions that you can initiate yourself that may help this animal and its habitat?
8. Is there anything else you can do to learn about this animal, objectively and for its own sake?
9. After learning as much factual information about the animal as possible, can you think of any ways to express your more emotional, personal, and spiritual connection to it? How can you integrate the scientific knowledge you’ve gained and your emotional connections in a way that is honest, healthy, and rewarding?