When I first heard about this assignment, I was really excited. I thought, wow homework would be to watch teenage dramas and then write about it? How fun! However, I did not know we had to pick out what channel we had to watch out of a bad, and I, however, got stuck with the channel Animal Planet. The first television show I watched was a bunch of animals hunting other animals, I was not amused. However, I started watching the show Too Cute! And realized how similar the genders act to us. From there I wrote the basis of my paper and it turned out to be really fascinating. It made me wonder, are males and females genetically prone to acting the way they act? Or is it merely from society? Surprisingly Human
Society expects men to live up to a certain standard: powerful, muscular, and in command. Although most people attribute this stereotype to the past and their judgments on men, is it biological for men to automatically act or feel this way? Although most people believe that male stereotypes come from societies expectations, animal documentaries prove male animals to be genetically composed of these characteristics. If males and females are anything like their animal counterparts, their powerful and muscular or loving and nurturing tendencies may be due to pure biology. “Too Cute” is a television show on “Animal Planet” that portrays adorable puppies and how they act and get along. After observing a couple of episodes, viewers are able to see how male puppies act compared to female puppies. Not only do they have a puppy edition, but also kittens and pigs, they are just not as popular. Throughout the episode, the audience can see the male puppies were much more rascal and playful. They would paw and gnaw at their sibling’s ears and bodies. On the other hand, their female siblings lie down, trying to ignore their irritating brothers. Of course this is not the case for all male and female puppies. The point: male puppies do not grow up with their fathers telling them to “act tough” or “stop being a baby.” They are just born rascal and dominant. The problem of purchasing a male puppy when you already own either a male or female dog is the issue of a marking. Male puppies, especially when not neutered, tend to “mark” or pee throughout your house in order to show their dominance. This occurs even if they are the first puppy in the house. Male puppies do this in order to assert their dominance in the house. They want to claim all areas of their home in order to show they are the “alpha male.” If owners are unable to properly train their male puppies, they may grow up to be highly aggressive and unable to control. If the male dog is not used to their owner carrying them or just bothering them in general, they may snarl or even attack them, causing very serious injuries. Even male puppies seem to have the same characteristics we associate with males today. They are the head of the house, aggressive, dominant, and powerful. They like to show they are in control. Even though people may believe men behave like this because of societies negative expectations of them, the biological characteristics of male puppies seem to prove otherwise. Even though this is not a regular movie played on “Animal Planet,” “March of the Penguins” accounts for why females and males behave the way they do. Viewers are taken on a journey, traveling with the penguins of Antarctica as they migrate during the winter season. After the female penguin has the egg, she transfers it to a nook between the feet of the male. The males protect the egg while the females endure a long journey by themselves trying to search for food. After traveling for months and reaching the ocean, the mother has to avoid sea lions and capture fish for her soon to be born baby penguin. After stuffing as much fish in her as she can, she continues her journey to try to find her mate. Like humans, the male is seen as protecting the baby, like protecting the house and the female is fending for her child and providing the food for them. No one tells the penguins how they should or should not act. It is automatic for them to do these certain acts in order to carry out a successful family. People may wonder where these stereotypes and societal expectations for males and females first came from. A very possible and highly likely explanation may be is because the first males and females first acted like this because it was biological. Mothers are the one’s who carry the baby, therefore are the ones who feed them and nurture them. Women are naturally caring and loving and men are naturally dominant and powerful. However, some of the other stereotypes like being muscular and not being able to drive, may not be as accountable by biological factors. But from the television shows and movies of “Too Cute!” and “March of the Penguins” the main characteristics are due to biological factors. People may question though, animals are not human so we can’t compare the two. However, according to “Animal Planet’s” slogan, “surprisingly human” we are.
Surprisingly Human
Society expects men to live up to a certain standard: powerful, muscular, and in command. Although most people attribute this stereotype to the past and their judgments on men, is it biological for men to automatically act or feel this way? Although most people believe that male stereotypes come from societies expectations, animal documentaries prove male animals to be genetically composed of these characteristics. If males and females are anything like their animal counterparts, their powerful and muscular or loving and nurturing tendencies may be due to pure biology.
“Too Cute” is a television show on “Animal Planet” that portrays adorable puppies and how they act and get along. After observing a couple of episodes, viewers are able to see how male puppies act compared to female puppies. Not only do they have a puppy edition, but also kittens and pigs, they are just not as popular. Throughout the episode, the audience can see the male puppies were much more rascal and playful. They would paw and gnaw at their sibling’s ears and bodies. On the other hand, their female siblings lie down, trying to ignore their irritating brothers. Of course this is not the case for all male and female puppies. The point: male puppies do not grow up with their fathers telling them to “act tough” or “stop being a baby.” They are just born rascal and dominant.
The problem of purchasing a male puppy when you already own either a male or female dog is the issue of a marking. Male puppies, especially when not neutered, tend to “mark” or pee throughout your house in order to show their dominance. This occurs even if they are the first puppy in the house. Male puppies do this in order to assert their dominance in the house. They want to claim all areas of their home in order to show they are the “alpha male.” If owners are unable to properly train their male puppies, they may grow up to be highly aggressive and unable to control. If the male dog is not used to their owner carrying them or just bothering them in general, they may snarl or even attack them, causing very serious injuries. Even male puppies seem to have the same characteristics we associate with males today. They are the head of the house, aggressive, dominant, and powerful. They like to show they are in control. Even though people may believe men behave like this because of societies negative expectations of them, the biological characteristics of male puppies seem to prove otherwise.
Even though this is not a regular movie played on “Animal Planet,” “March of the Penguins” accounts for why females and males behave the way they do. Viewers are taken on a journey, traveling with the penguins of Antarctica as they migrate during the winter season. After the female penguin has the egg, she transfers it to a nook between the feet of the male. The males protect the egg while the females endure a long journey by themselves trying to search for food. After traveling for months and reaching the ocean, the mother has to avoid sea lions and capture fish for her soon to be born baby penguin. After stuffing as much fish in her as she can, she continues her journey to try to find her mate. Like humans, the male is seen as protecting the baby, like protecting the house and the female is fending for her child and providing the food for them. No one tells the penguins how they should or should not act. It is automatic for them to do these certain acts in order to carry out a successful family.
People may wonder where these stereotypes and societal expectations for males and females first came from. A very possible and highly likely explanation may be is because the first males and females first acted like this because it was biological. Mothers are the one’s who carry the baby, therefore are the ones who feed them and nurture them. Women are naturally caring and loving and men are naturally dominant and powerful. However, some of the other stereotypes like being muscular and not being able to drive, may not be as accountable by biological factors. But from the television shows and movies of “Too Cute!” and “March of the Penguins” the main characteristics are due to biological factors. People may question though, animals are not human so we can’t compare the two. However, according to “Animal Planet’s” slogan, “surprisingly human” we are.