Of Herzog, Whales, and Seals.
Ignorant oversimplification of natural phenomena is a dangerous trend.
Lately we’ve been flooded by a new age of enlightenment regarding the science world, nature and everything connected. I guess nerds paved the way for other nerds.
In particular, a video of humpbacks being apparently saving seals by driving orcas away has went viral. Many (otherwise) intelligent, cultured people, felt the need to share, highlighting how ‘good’ the whales were for saving seals from orcas.
The reality of nature, although super-complex in its endless interactions, is very simple in concept. We (as living things) are nothing more than closed, replicating, biochemical systems in competition for resources.
There is no higher meaning to life than life itself, there is no purpose. There. Is. No. Karma.
If you think about it, it is inspiring, it is beautiful and terrifying at the same time.
Although we all love to transfer animals our (totally made-up) ethical convictions about what is good and what is bad, and aesopically assign them character qualities and flaws, it is nothing more than our own (selfish) projection.
Without going into an ethological speculation of the reason why humpbacks do what they do, it’s 100% sure they don’t do it for ‘altruism’ or for ‘good’.
Just like humpbacks aren’t ‘good’ for saving seals, orcas aren’t ‘bad’ for eating them. Ecosystems rely on complex webs of interdependence to keep functioning. If systems ecology has taught us something it is that keystone species (usually top predators) are especially important in maintaining the balance between species and keeping biodiversity indexes high. So, if you really want to see a ‘good’ species, it’s probably the orcas, and not the humpbacks.
But this is my point: this kind of ‘humanification’ of animal behavior, and this haphazard picking of facts isn’t knowledge. And it will only serve to create more confusion, which the self-serving politician will then exploit to their favor.
So do us a favor, don’t oversimplify nature like some unnamed German filmmaker does. If you like nature, that’s awesome. But just as you’ve had to study art, cinema or photography, if you feel attracted by the beautiful cruelty of nature don’t just guess, please pick up a textbook.
