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Tuesday, May 13, 2014

Students Say The Funniest Things

When I'm not tearing my hair out, my students' papers sometimes make me laugh.  Last week I showed my class the "Blackfish" documentary, which examines the case of Tillikum, a captive orca known to have killed three people so far.  I also gave my students a couple of articles to read, and then asked them to "take a stand" on the question of whether orcas should be held in captivity.

One student, perhaps conflating "Blackfish" with "Moby Dick," concluded, "If we don't start taking whales seriously, they will kill us."  


This film marked Bo Derek's debut, BTW, but what the heck were Richard Harris and Charlotte Rampling doing in this ludicrous farce (besides looking fabulous)?

Another student, carried away by SeaWorld's PR, declared, "Orcas should be kept in captivity, where they are served restaurant-quality meals and much mental stimulation."  Come to think of it, why can't I live at SeaWorld?

And yet another student, also a hardcore SeaWorld fan, mused tenderly that "People and orcas need to be together... because of love."

8 comments:

  1. I wouldn't mind being kept in captivity and fed restaurant quality meals while being mentally stimulated. Happy to jump through hoops twice a day - which I pretty much do anyway.

    Throw the orcas out, I say. Let someone else have a turn.

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    1. Last summer we stayed at a Mexican resort where we had our own privacy pool in which I immersed myself for most of each an every day. Occasionally a server would bring me guacamole and a cold cerviza. It was heaven, I tell you.

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  2. "If we don't start taking whales seriously, they will kill us."










    "If we don't start taking whales seriously, they will kill us."







    "If we don't start taking whales seriously, they will kill us."

    I love it.


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    Replies
    1. If you love it, you too may enjoy a career as a remedial writing instructor!

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    2. I have no idea why that posted three times, I don't love it that much :)

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  3. After reading about a 100+ year old orca toodling around out there with her kid orcas and grandkid orcas and then reading that captive orcas only live about 4 years on average, I can't even think of a middle ground on this issue. They should not be in captivity.

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    Replies
    1. Amazing, isn't it? This matriarch is 103 and still leading her pod on the annual trek from California to Canada. Granny truly rules the waves!

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    2. 4 years comparable to 100+??
      I wonder if they die once they realize they aren't getting released?

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Thanks for commenting!