FINAL EXAMS AHEAD

Sunday, November 30. 2008

I’m back at school following the Thanksgiving break, and for the next two weeks my life will be dominated by final exams. I’ve gotten my required courses out of the way now, so from this point on everything I take will be in my core curriculum of genetics. (Those required courses were a struggle, as they were all insectivore-based as befitting my species. However, I guess you all know that I was new to an insect-based diet, and a lot of catching up was involved. I’m up to speed now.)
Last week someone asked about the DNA analyses of indigenous species of North American. Yes, those have been done, and they support the theory that they migrated over the Bering Strait land bridge eons ago.
Someone else asked about the relative intelligence of different species here. I don’t know about humans, but here there is research that supports the concept of various types of intelligences with different yardsticks involved. The pioneering studies on this was done by a herbivore named Howard Garden.
Surprisingly, it was Gran who first led me to the readings in which the theory was based.

Posted by Lindesfarne at 11:19 | Comments (24) | Trackbacks (0)

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Good luck on your finals! I imagine Fenton was happy to help you in your required insectivore-based studies.

It sometimes seems as if there are nearly as many theories of intelligence as there are diets, maybe more. I was chatting with an ursine friend at Philcon last weekend (they don't all hibernate all winter!), for instance, and he mentioned something called "G" that modern intelligence tests are tuned to measure. "G" seems to correlate with having a large vocabulary -- but it also correlates with the ability to think fast, and I imagine you can see how that would be useful in the real world!

Sadly, I can't remember the name of the theorist.

He also mentioned the controversial book titled "The Squash Curve." I've been hesitant to read it, figuring it mainly applied to herbivores, and it stirred up SO MUCH controversy that I figured it had to be mistaken. But he seemed to think that it had some valid points as long as you made a point of seeing past society's taboos and your own diet-bound filters. (Well, ursines are omnivores, so I imagine he has an easier time doing it!).

Ah, never mind, I've gotten way off topic here. I didn't read the entire Wikipedia entry on Garden yet, but I will say that in my own experience, there really does seem to be different KINDS of intelligence, not just different LEVELS of intelligence. And of course, if we ever see them seriously combine your major with the study of intelligence -- well, that will open up a big can of tuna, I can tell you!

I would think the humans reading this don't have those kinds of issues on the other side, since they're all one species. I'm probably wrong, but it's so hard to imagine sometimes.

#1 Terri the Tiger on 2008-11-30 11:50 (Reply)

Lindisfarne, two things.
First, I work in a Group Home near Cleveland for people who are physically and/or mentally challenged and are unable to pay the full rent. We are virtually unique in this respect. Last Wednesday one of our residents died. She was in her late 80s. This, I gather, is more normal in our world than in yours. In your world, most people die violent and sudden deaths from predation. In our world, most humans (at least in the developed world) die after long illnesses or just old age. Losing a resident in a group home is like losing a family member. It hurts.
Second, we do not eat "people". How does it feel to do this? Our meat is from animals that are not sapiant, that do not have self-aware thinking minds like we do, and some of us are uncomfortable even about this (my boss, for example, is a strict vegetarian. She has not eaten a bit of meat in years). How does it feel to know that every insect you eat was "someone", not "something"? A person with hopes, dreams, wishes, fears and regrets? Especially when you were a herbivore for so long before becoming an insectivore?

#2 Thomas Mazanec (Link) on 2008-11-30 12:05 (Reply)

That's a good question, Thomas. When I consume an insect, I'm responding to my body's instinctual need for nourishment. It's as if I'm wired not to focus on the insect as an individual. (Society reinforces that behavior, and conditions us.) I've talked to Kell, Rudy and Elanor, and they say the same in regard to eating larger prey. I'll admit that when I was a herbivore, I didn't think about plants as having lives, either.
On the subject of old age, my grandparents, and Elanor (and Mr. Squirrel) all have lived past sixty which isn't uncommon for those sufficiently wily and resourceful.
Well one passes, such as Kell's father, it hurts here, too.

#3 Lindesfarne Dewclaw on 2008-11-30 12:23 (Reply)

Yes, Terri, Fenton did give me much personal instruction in adapting to Insectivore Studies. I couldn't have done it without him.

#4 Lindesfarne Dewclaw on 2008-11-30 12:57 (Reply)

From your statement of your school activity, it seems you have put in a massive amount of course hours in a short time. I salute both your intelligence and your dedication.

On your second point, I have always thought that it was a massive piece of Old World egoism to believe that either Lief Ericson or Christopher Columbus 'discovered' a continent that already had hundreds of thousands (or possibly millions) of people living there.

I can't say that Howard Garden is right or wrong. I can say that I am basically a logical person, but that my visual memory is terrible. I have an extremely difficult time remembering faces and, at my age, I doubt that my problem in this area will change.

It seems like other people are asking questions about the differences on your side of the portal this week: I guess I'll add mine.

Lindesfarne, a few weeks back I asked about those canines who guide the blind. Something bothered me about your answer, but I had to go back and look at the records of the 'Rudy in a cult' episode. (With the amount we on this side of the portal know about your family, we could be classified as stalkers!)

Over here, we have something we refer to as the nudity taboo. This basically means that, under normal circumstances, certain areas of the body must be covered with clothing. Obviously, in your world where pretty much everyone is covered in hair, fur, feathers, scales (or quills), that taboo wouldn't apply in the same way. But everyone in Domain is depicted as being clothed: the most naked depiction we've ever been shown was people in bathing suits... with a few exceptions. We've seen Francis' diaper changed in a side view. We've seen your family's adventures in the theme park, but vegetation was always between our point of view and your bodies. (As an ex-herbivore, perhaps you should be thankful your diet has changed!) The nudity taboo is not applied to infants and the theme park would be considered as an un-normal circumstance: it was a private area where people had to pay admission, and was therefore not open to the public.

However... When Rudy was selling flowers for the cult, we were told explicitly by Candace that he was naked. In our society, that kind of public nudity would get a person arrested. When Kevin rescued him Rudy left on all fours, seeming to act as a guide canine. That's where one of my questions comes in. From what you said, I'd expect the guide canine position to be a respectable one. I can't see why such a person could not do their job standing upright and dressed in a normal fashion.

So my questions are: could you expand somewhat on how the guide canine guides the blind person? Is it required that they go on all fours? Is it traditional? Has there been any research done on whether (or how often) the relationship between the guider and the guided becomes more intimate? And, could you explain a little better how the nudity taboo works on your side?

#5 CharlieG on 2008-11-30 13:01 (Reply)

That article's in our wikipedia as well, Lindesfarne. Interesting.

I write for an online newspaper, recently getting an interview with special-effects artist Tony Dyson, but have not been able to make a living though writing. Guess marketing one's talent demands another kind of inteligence.

As for eating people, in modern societies it's limited to an occasional case by someone who became mentally unstable. Primitive tribes do have a number of examples, notablly in the disposal of dead bodies or consuming part of an enemy warrior in the belief one would gain some of his strength. The only place I can recall where people were hunted for food was Easter Island, in which the tribesmen were reduced to very desperate measures due to it's isolation and their resources becoming scarce.

#6 Bixyl Shuftan (Link) on 2008-11-30 13:13 (Reply)

There have also been rare cases where cannibalism was used for survival. Probably the best example I can remember is from back in the 70s when a soccer team's plane crashed in the mountains and in a last, desperate means of survival, fed off those who had already died. A movie was made based on that incident, but I don't remember the title.

#6.1 Mortar on 2008-12-07 15:40 (Reply)

You're thinking of either "Survive", An unintentionally funny Exploitation-style telling of the tale; or "Alive" (Search imdb under their respective titles -- the anti-spam 'bot won't let me post their URLs), a cringe-inducingly upbeat version. (Made by Disney, natch!)

The book (apparently out of print as I can't find it on Amazon) is on the graphic side (I had to read it as part of a school assignment) but it's readably decent if you don't mind the occasional bit of squick...

#6.1.1 Reynard on 2008-12-08 18:53 (Reply)

Here, clothing is simply a symbol to indicate one's status as a member of civilization. Those who go naked are simply regarded as denizens of the Wild, such as Rudy was when he was captured by that cult.
Guide dogs are a respectable profession, and most wear clothes. Some don't, however, which is why Rudy didn't draw attention when Dad rescued him.

#7 Lindesfarne Dewclaw on 2008-11-30 13:15 (Reply)

Really? I wonder what would have happened if Fiona had found him at the airport.
...or had visited that theme park..

#7.1 The J.A.M. on 2008-11-30 18:13 (Reply)

Well...what if you had found a family or close friend in such a situation? Judging that Humans use clothes for both stature, protection and as abiding the law, would you suddenly degrade and/or disown your friend for having a lack of coverings? I would believe that the relationship would not have suffered. It probably would have only added to a long list of memories. And, in the case of the cult, perhaps even strengthened it through an impulse of assistance.

Besides, while it may not be a crime to remove one's coverings, think of the stature that others would place upon you. Entering almost any business is out of the question, too. It's downright rare not to find the all-too-common signs that states 'No shoes. No shirt. No service.' and 'Don't make us frown. Tail down. '

#7.1.1 jup-reindeer on 2008-12-02 06:44 (Reply)

This whole thing with the clothes kind of came back to me, tonight. I was just finishing up with the computer at a remote location when this family of chimpmunks had just finished shopping and had approached the vehicle next to mine. A big argument erupted about how the daughter had tried to strip her clothes off while in the store and the mother was very angered by this. A whole conversation was lectured about how doing so in public was considerable as taboo and so forth. I just stayed out of it, despite having the urge to rave the daughter on for her free mindedness.

What would have been of that argument, had I been the more typical kind of deer, walking just feet away, I ponder. Guess it doesn't truly matter.

#7.2 jup-reindeer on 2008-12-08 05:42 (Reply)

I can accept the idea of multiple kinds of intelligence, but at least in this world, some people use that to excuse poor performance of students. That same student who doesn't memorize dates and names for his latest history test has no problem memorizing the stats of his favorite athletic team, or the multitude of trick moves in the latest fighting video game.

If more people put in the effort like you did, there'd be a lot fewer problems among today's youth.

#8 Greg (Link) on 2008-11-30 18:52 (Reply)

"...or the multitude of trick moves in the latest fighting video game."

Greg, either you're one of the most proper people ever born, or you're not a gamer. ^_^ I mean no offense, of course, but no gamer would ever word that like you did.

Anyway, back to the topic.

How'd your Thanksgiving go, Lindesfarne? You never told us. At least, I don't THINK you did...
It occurred to me as I drifted in and out of sleep today, but... you get bombarded by questions from our end asking about your world, and you never seem to ask us about ours. Sure, we've managed to tell you pretty much all of it without being asked, but surely there are key points that wouldn't make sense to you due to civilization differences between the two worlds. Wasn't the origional point of accessing this portal more so for YOU to learn about OUR world than the other way around???

#9 S c y t h e on 2008-11-30 19:18 (Reply)

Thanksgiving went well. We had a pleasant meal, with the only excitement being when Rudy dropped a turkey leg. In the ensuing melee, Coney won.
I don't ask specific questions about the human world since I really don't want to push my luck with instinct loss. I am interested, of course, so feel free to share.

#10 Lindesfarne Dewclaw on 2008-11-30 20:09 (Reply)

humans are less swift but no less determined when it comes to dropped food and the claimed of it. also Miss Dewclaw it's no surprise that your grandmother Dorothy would have an interest in that. She is a Physical therapist also as we advance in age our question tend to be more of the past then the future. the future holds our hops for or children and grand children the past holds question like " if the world changed this much in my life time what was it like in the life time of my grandparents? "

#10.1 e_voyager on 2008-11-30 23:17 (Reply)

Lindesfarne, I'm guessing that the page I got when I followed your Wikipedia link was not the exact same page that you saw, but your own world's version of it. Am I right that you have never been able to view the comic strip that centers on your family? Here it can be viewed at www.kevinandkell.com.

Actually, now that I recall that we have a herdthinners.com that also leads to the comic, I'm quite certain that the same URLs have different destinations in each world.

#11 Classic Steve (Link) on 2008-11-30 22:15 (Reply)

I play a few games, but don't care for fighting games. All I can say is, I have no idea what terminology is used in the world on the other side of the portal, so to facilitate understanding, I play it safe and use descriptive words.

#12 Greg (Link) on 2008-11-30 23:13 (Reply)

Being verbose is nothing to be ashamed of. ^_^

#12.1 Dani on 2008-12-01 00:36 (Reply)

I'll drink to that. I admit, my vocabulary is a bit larger than most others, and I can only attribute it to... videogames!

And I must say, I don't play too many fighting games myself. I tend to favor the street-racing games, with some good strategy and first-persons in there for flavor.

And my dear Lindesfarne, some people (myself included) can't give an answer if we don't have a question! If I was to just start rambling, we'd be here untill 2010, and I'd probably cover a mountain of stuff you already know. If you must, maybe limit yourself to one question a week? Using really vauge questions, even? Just something to give us an idea of what you're wondering. I for one need a bit of help in order to properly help someone!

#12.1.1 S c y t h e on 2008-12-01 08:30 (Reply)

I know you won't answer this until next week, but I would like to know:
Does a Marty Stouffer exist in your world? Over here, he makes nature documentaries. What does he do there?

#13 The J.A.M. on 2008-12-01 12:08 (Reply)

Wow, talk about parallels! Here we have a turkey named Marty Stuffer who does documentaries on the "societies" that have sprung up in the Wild.

#13.1 Terri the Tiger on 2008-12-08 09:10 (Reply)

I also would like to know something. A Few entries back, you mentioned Tolkien briefly about his hobbits. what i would like to know, is what species he, being Tolkien was?

#14 Luna on 2008-12-01 20:55 (Reply)

One more question:
Did you ever notice that you had "more" Christmases than the number of years that have passed since Coney was born?

Call it a discrepancy, but it something that's been intriguing us for a while

#15 The J.A.M. on 2008-12-06 23:14 (Reply)

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