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submitted 9 months ago by fossilesque@mander.xyz to c/science_memes@mander.xyz

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[-] LordGimp@lemm.ee 84 points 9 months ago

I always like the analogy of man's relationship with an ant is how it would be with a fae or elder species and man.

Like if an ant managed to attract the attention of a human and requested it kill a specific ant, the human would respond by simply killing the entire colony as they can't distinguish one individual ant from another.

That's what the fae do.

[-] aeronmelon@lemmy.world 59 points 9 months ago

Worf, from the Deep Space Nine episode Homefront:

“Our gods are dead. Ancient Klingon warriors slew them a millennia ago. They were more trouble than they were worth.”

That’s the best way to describe what a Klingon is; Zero fucks, 100% of the time.

[-] Mac@mander.xyz 56 points 9 months ago

this is why cats are untrustworthy.

why do you approach me? i have nothing to offer you. oh, friendly are you—purring amd rubbing against me? what tricks do you play?
you'll not fool me, feline. 🧐

[-] xthexder@l.sw0.com 30 points 9 months ago

If the cat thought you had nothing to offer, they wouldn't be coming to you. I'm pretty sure most house cats have been trained to think humans are magic food dispensers.

[-] angrystego@lemmy.world 4 points 9 months ago

They love the pets and scritches too.

[-] theneverfox@pawb.social 3 points 9 months ago

It's actually really fascinating - cats seem to rapidly learn culture while they're weaning

Cats in Japan are very friendly and trusting of humans, cats in America are more cautious and wary

Japan has folklore about multiple variations of cat yokai that range from fickle trickers to malevolent supernatural ones. Cats are considered good luck, killing them invites bad luck. They have euphemisms like being in no position to refuse even a cats help, and their presence being a good omen

America has folklore about cats being bad luck, and tied to witchery. We still use euphemisms about skinning cats, letting them out of bags, swinging them, etc. Killing cats wasn't abnormal behavior even a century ago

And apparently, if you bring a female Japanese cat to America, it'll take several generations for the descendents to localize to the culture. They even meow differently

[-] Maggoty@lemmy.world 35 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

Oh that was me in reverse. Waking up to a pack of coyotes wondering if I was the tame human. Alas I sat up too quickly, scared them off, and now I'll never get adopted by a pack of coyotes.

[-] gwen@lemmy.dbzer0.com 24 points 9 months ago

dude i think they were trying to see if you were dead so they could get an easy meal

[-] Maggoty@lemmy.world 30 points 9 months ago

Yeah I know that. But if not friend, why friend shape?

[-] AngryCommieKender@lemmy.world 8 points 9 months ago

We recently discovered that Hyenas were one of our primary predators well before we figured out tools and fire. There are archaeological sites that have thousands of human skeletons that were clearly eaten by hyenas. Mostly children, IIRC.

I would surmise that some of us have completely overwritten our basic instincts. Hyenas would also be friend shaped, but somehow I'm reasonably certain that your and my ancestors would disagree.

[-] Maggoty@lemmy.world 5 points 9 months ago

I dunno. I've seen hyenas in the zoo and I did not get the same feeling towards them. Lions are also rather intimidating once it's just a bit of wire and a slightly too far jump between you. Wolves and coyotes though, they make me want to do the whole domestication thing all over again.

[-] angrystego@lemmy.world 4 points 9 months ago

Also foxes, don't forget about foxes. Very friend shaped.

[-] gmtom@lemmy.world 30 points 9 months ago

How is this a science meme?

[-] thebardingreen@lemmy.starlightkel.xyz 7 points 9 months ago

Yog Sothoth cares not for your meaningless mortal science. Ia.

[-] DragonTypeWyvern@midwest.social 5 points 9 months ago

Terrazoology and cosmozoology

[-] Gradually_Adjusting@lemmy.world 26 points 9 months ago

So that's what's the matter with me

[-] Infynis@midwest.social 22 points 9 months ago

Why did you think warlocks are like that?

[-] BallsandBayonets@lemmings.world 16 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

Selling your soul is an easy choice when it gets you a 1d10 cantrip that deals a damage type that is almost impossible to be resistant to.

[-] Zorsith 12 points 9 months ago

Horny? Tentacles?

[-] HeyThisIsntTheYMCA@lemmy.world 8 points 9 months ago

my god is inside me and god wants enchiladas

[-] MarcomachtKuchen@feddit.org 14 points 9 months ago

This guy is definitly not Lovecraft

[-] osaerisxero@kbin.melroy.org 12 points 9 months ago

All that's left is discovering the power of friendship along the way and they've got a franchise on their hands.

[-] TheHarpyEagle@pawb.social 9 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

What have they done to us?

[-] GreyEyedGhost@lemmy.ca 8 points 9 months ago

Fred Kwan in Galaxy Quest.

[-] Clarity_daffodil@lemmy.world 8 points 9 months ago

I've thought about things like this. What if humans could be kept by aliens as pets? What would that be like? Can any extremely bored writer reading this come up with something?

[-] TheHarpyEagle@pawb.social 10 points 9 months ago

I've talked to my roommates about this, how we'd eat like a bowl of canned chili every day with a dollop of peanut butter as a treat.

[-] Axiochus@lemm.ee 5 points 9 months ago

Don't exclusively eat peanut butter! Apparently it produces some toxin!

[-] angrystego@lemmy.world 1 points 9 months ago

You probably mean aflatoxin that is produced by a mold that is common on peanuts.

[-] Clarity_daffodil@lemmy.world 3 points 9 months ago

Lmaoo that's so oddly specific, were you guys high af?

[-] Whats_your_reasoning@lemmy.world 8 points 9 months ago

Funny, I actually have a running story in my head like this. People kept in little cages like hamsters, aliens choosing breeding pairs, or training them to fight each other. Some aliens would be debating the ethics of it all while others go, “Humans are much stupider than we are, so it’s okay to treat them like this.”