The Peak of Human Sentimentality: A Stuffed Orangutan and Our Collective Loss of Perspective
Right, lets talk about this. Because apparently, a video of a baby monkey feeling sad – gasp – is now driving consumer behavior to levels previously only achieved by fidget spinners and avocado toast. A stuffed orangutan? Seriously? We’re collectively weeping over a primate experiencing what is likely a mild case of separation anxiety, then rushing to buy a plush toy as some sort of…what? Symbolic comfort blanket for our own anxieties about the worlds suffering?
The irony is so thick you could spread it on toast. A baby monkey, bullied (because apparently everything needs a dramatic label now), finds solace in an inanimate object. And we feel compelled to participate in this bizarre ritual of consumer empathy. The IKEA toy promptly sells out online – naturally – and then predictably surfaces on eBay at exorbitant prices. People are literally profiting from manufactured sentimentality!
It’s not just the absurdity of the situation, its the sheer lack of critical thinking involved. We’re so desperate to feel good about ourselves that we latch onto these fleeting moments of perceived vulnerability and translate them into purchasing decisions. A stuffed orangutan isn’t going to solve animal cruelty or alleviate childhood trauma. It’s a plush toy. Let’s maybe channel some of this energy into, you know, actual meaningful action? But no, lets buy more stuff instead. Fantastic.
