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Posted by sbogill on October 11, 2002 at 18:14:30:
In Reply to: Re: The proof is in the snake!! posted by K.E. on October 11, 2002 at 09:09:46:
As per my post titled "My last post on this subject (lets move on)" I’m no longer partaking in the cow sucker/mutant rat snake debate (for the sake of not wanting to be redundant), but I would like to comment on some of your [unrelated] observations.
>>Obviously, TV is fake. The best educational programs do not come close to giving the educational expierience that can be obtained in nature.
>>TV babies do not get this expierience. All of these shows are about people, not wildlife.
>>The animals and nature in general is simply a stage.
I agree with you here. I must confess that I sometimes watch these TV shows just to get a chance to see species that I will never get a change to see in the wild. I don't expect that I'll ever get over to Africa, Asia, or Australia. I get a kick out of seeing up close footage of Black Mambas, King Cobra, Tiapans, Gaboon vipers, Puff Adders and so on and so forth. I realize these are all staged events. I do hope at some time in the future to do some herping in Central and/or South America however. Maybe I'll get to see a Red-Tailed Boa or a Bushmaster in it's own natural habitat. I hope so.
>>People are getting more and more disconnected with nature. They are gleaning their information from tv instead of from books, locals, and expierience. This tv information is cloudy at best.
I pity the next generation coming down the pike. I call them the "Bevis & Butthead" and/or "Nintendo" generation. I certainly am doing my best to instill a love of nature and the outdoors to my own two children (they have a Nintindo but they do NOT watch Bevis & Butthead) as well as any youngsters who will listen. I am sometimes asked to give talks in front of groups kids, such as scouting groups or classrooms. I'm trying my best to get the word out about nature and conservation. I couldn't agree with you more that one's only exposure to the outdoors should not (or must not) be limited to the Discovery Channel. If that is the case, I think that our conservation efforts may be doomed.
>>Book learning combined with field expierience and husbandry expierience will reveal bits of the natural world's reality.
Magnificently put.
>>Disbelief in mutations that occur in our state can only come from a lack of expierience and book learning that has been combined with a deluge of misinformation that has been provided by our media.
Let me assure you that my disbelief of the actual origins of your snakes is not based on any lack of field experience or book learning on my part, or because of anything I have ever seen on a TV show. I guess I'm just skeptical by nature and require more convincing than some people.
>>Go outdoors!! Discover the natural world!! Destroy your television, it convinces you of lies with half truths. My rat snakes are the real deal!! Never Doubt K.E.!!!
I would find it hard to believe that many people of my age (35 years old) or younger could have possibly logged any more time in the field than I have in my countless, countless hours which represent my 18+ years of experience. I remember getting ridiculed by some of my (non-herper) friends just last summer because I rolled up over 3,000 miles on car within 1 week by pounding the pavement just within my own locality (i.e. no cross-country trips involved). That's over 400 miles (and a tank and a half of gas) per night that week alone. And in my case this is the norm rather than the exception when conditions are favorable. So you see, I'm in total agreement with your sentiment that one should actually log time in the field and not rely on TV shows as one's only exposure to our natural world. You post was terrific and I appreciated the spirit in which it was written.
All the best,
Saw
