quote:

ORIGINAL: cjan

quote:

Gywnvd:
I think it the height of arrogance to think we are the only species who sees the natural world and has an appreciation for it. Even if it is a "learned behavor" so can we debate that our writing, typing, drawing and anything else we do as human animals is a learned behavor. Our parents taught us. We learned it. We didnt spout fully formed with the knowledge of "how to".

I agree,not only do animals see and appreciate the natural world, they do so far "better" than we do. In fact, they are One with it. Something that many humans aspire to through various parctices such as meditation. As humans we are at a disadvatage regarding this due to our concepts of self and other.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Aileen1968

That poor, poor elephant.  He obviously has body dysmorphic disorder.  One can clearly see that he is not nearly as skinny as he sees himself.  Plus that focus on the butt leads one to believe that he's heavily into anal.  Many, many issues going on in that brain. 

quote:

ORIGINAL: domiguy

quote:

ORIGINAL: Aileen1968

That poor, poor elephant.  He obviously has body dysmorphic disorder.  One can clearly see that he is not nearly as skinny as he sees himself.  Plus that focus on the butt leads one to believe that he's heavily into anal.  Many, many issues going on in that brain. 

This is what makes you soooooo special....You ain't right in the head.

Obviously it was staged or I believe we might have had our first look at elephant porn....Can you imagine an elephant on all fours with hundreds of pounds of wide open and gaping elesnatch ready and willing for the taking?

I wouldn't be surprised if the dildo had the size and likeness of one of their trainers.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Zensee

I think this elephant is doing a picture they have learned (like a human child would).  That's still cool.

I have seen other elephants doing abstract, impressionist paintings which are quite lovely. Some of the elephants are more skilled than others (as with humans) and just because they may be copying images doesn't mean they aren't engaged in the process the same way a human learning art would be. We did figure drawing from models and from the imagination. We did abstraction too.


Z.