Today is the cardinals' turn for the feeder. They are timid and rush off when we come to the door to admire them. The male watches over the surroundings while the female takes her breakfast. He is very solicitous and concerned for her welfare.
And then I hear the voice of a character in a book I'm reading say sternly, "Don't anthropomorphize the animals you study. You can't possibly know their cognitive system." This character is an anthropology professor, flamboyant as a cardinal, but not at all shy or solicitous. And although I like confidence (aplomb), flair (panache), and the cheese-stealing mouse in Klondike Kat (savoir faire), I don't much care for loud and overbearing know-it-alls who try to sway me to their point of view. The cardinals, I like. The professor, not so much.
Ivory Tower - used to designate a world or atmosphere where intellectuals engage in pursuits that are disconnected from the practical concerns of everyday life. A wilful disconnect from the everyday world; esoteric, over-specialized, or even useless research; and academic elitism, if not outright condescension.
ReplyDeleteAnthropocentrists are stupid, conceited and petty. Cardinals aren't.