Bears in the woods... (buy, education, areas)

[melbern]

Reasonable man! <---social smile. I also appreciate good information. I just like it with a bit of sweetness. That's 'cause I'm southern, y'all.

Speaking of anthropomorphizing bears, has anyone seen that bloke who has a bear living with him in his house? I saw it on TV. Is he in Alaska?

[akck]

Originally Posted by Alaskapat528

I think that might be proof that a bear "does" sh*t in the woods. LOL. Sorry, just had to.

I thought it was about what notrees didn't know.

[notreesininceland]

Originally Posted by Jerseykat

If all he had done was observe and take photos that would have been fine. Sadly he was looking for something to save and give his life meaning. He thought he found it in the Katmai (is that the park) bears. He had a bad tendency to anthropomorphize these animals which is what in the end made him and his unfortunate companion appetizers.
Ironically I think (not 100%) it seems the only bears killed or destroyed on Timmys watch were the ones suspected of eating him. Guess that whole save the bears thing didn't work out like he planned.

All true, and I hold no brief for Treadwell's stupidities. But I also see and admire another side of him - his passion and his monomaniacal fixity, all of which borders on madness. A character like Treadwell is only possible in America, where, despite the pressures to conform, one can still remain a maverick.

My favourite is this raging rant. How can anyone dislike a fellow like this?


YouTube - Timothy Treadwell loses his mind

[Marty Van Diest]

Oh yeah, after watching that I love him all the more...

He thanks the bears for keeping him safe, maybe he didn't thank them the last time. I read Nik Jans book as well.

One thing makes me wonder. I guess it's OK for the bears to kill moose, caribou and fish...those animals are made for killing and they don't have a right to live unmolested by bears, but it's not OK for people to bother bears, even to take photos of them for commercial purposes.

[Jerseykat]

Don't think he bordered on madness, I believe he had tipped over into it and was "mad" for lack of a better term.
He was a man with many problems who found an outlet via the bears for his narcissim and delusions.
He invented a "truth" that he was protecting these animals when in reality he wasn't. This truth was needed to give his escapism from the world meaning.
I believe he felt a powerful world had turned on him so he found a powerful creature that he could appear to be in control of.
It raised his own ego to constantly reassert that only he could do what he did because of his special relationship with the bears. And by filming it and showing it around it reaffirmed his own unique place.
He was no longer Timmy the loser but now a champion of the endangered bear.

Sorry but I can't like the man I only pity him and his companion.
Yes he did capture some amazing footage but his way of doing it was not acceptable.

[notreesininceland]

Originally Posted by Marty Van Diest

...caribou and fish...those animals are made for killing and they don't have a right to live unmolested by bears, but it's not OK for people to bother bears, even to take photos of them for commercial purposes.

Good point. In the spiritual tradition I come from, this would be cast as "dharma", that it is the bears' dharma to kill for its survival etc.

Regarding your second point, I concur. The advent of commercial tourism, bear-viewing tours, Serengeti safaris etc - all this has contributed to the trivializing of wildlife, and in many instances of despoiling some of the most pristine areas on the planet. But this issue has other sides to it. For instance, the bear guides who draw a living from the activity will not take kindly to this romantic view of nature.

[notreesininceland]

Originally Posted by Jerseykat

Don't think he bordered on madness, I believe he had tipped over into it and was "mad" for lack of a better term.
He was a man with many problems who found an outlet via the bears for his narcissim and delusions.
He invented a "truth" that he was protecting these animals when in reality he wasn't. This truth was needed to give his escapism from the world meaning.

Gee, what are you, a psychoanalyst? Did Tim Treadwell have long sessions in your consulting room? And what kind of insurance plans do you accept?

[starlite9]

Originally Posted by notreesininceland

Gee, what are you, a psychoanalyst? Did Tim Treadwell have long sessions in your consulting room? And what kind of insurance plans do you accept?

Not needed, all it took was a tad bit of common sense to see that Ol' Timothy was a full bubble off center. You may be too well trained to realize that.

[starlite9]

Timothy had no clue to why the bears let him live so long. Key is that they, being Coastal bears were pretty well fed. Had he tried that with the small interior Grizzlies, they have to fight for there food andare a lot less tolerant when hungry. The bears didn't accept him, the weren't hungry... Well for a bit anyway...

[Jerseykat]

Thanks Starlite and it's exactly that one doesn't need a degree in psychoanalysis to figure out that Timmy had some issues. LOL love the full bubble off center!
And didn't need him on my couch, the dang fool filmed his life.
No charge for the diagnosis....common sense is free.