The Anthropocene Reviewed – Buddy Read Write-up Three (of nine)

This is going to hurt. It’s been weeks, nay, months, since we read this batch of essays. I considered posting them all one week at a time, but, by George, Marie, from Marie Reads Books is miles ahead of me by now.

The thing is, this batch of essays wasn’t great. Not in a ‘god I hated these, here comes the rant’ kind of a way, but in a far more complicated way. In a way that evokes symmetry in thinking, while simultaneously evoking frustration because I’d expected us to have moved on to a greater point of view by now. Or, if not a greater point of view, then at least one that added to what had already been said rather than just belabouring the same anxious environmental points.

Ultimately, I think, the trap I’ve been trying to avoid is repeating myself, which inevitably led to no small amount of procrastination.

I now feel the pressure of mishandling three batches of essays rather than just the one, though, so the joke may well be on me. Marie Reads Books is a tad more reliable in terms of timing and content, so you can easily find her write-up here. Although, I can always promise unadulterated meandering, so if that’s what you’re here for, welcome.

The third batch included the following essays:

• Teddy Bears
• The Hall of Presidents
• Air-Conditioning
• Staphylococcus aureus
• The Internet

All in all, I really don’t have that much to say about these. This has been a big part of the problem. The fact that office temperatures are sexist was a a great bit of additional information to add to the pile of feminist fury stokers. And the conversation about bacteria was interesting. I’m personally fascinated by invisible beasties that can kill us, though, so was already halfway invested. Marie, by all accounts, cared much less for Staphylococcus aureus than I did. (Anyone here listen to This Podcast Will Kill You? It’s great for hypochondriac nightmare fuel. You know, if that’s something you were looking for.)

All things considered though, the only part that really grabbed at me was the discussion around how much humans, animals and bacteria weigh.

Truly awesome to read that bacteria outweighs humans and all, but does the bacteria that lives on and in humans count towards the bacteria weight? Or the human weight?

Asking for a friend

The Internet had some nostalgic moments, but the bigger content and misinformation issues were kind of skated around, though I deeply relate to ‘the night feeling’…

It’s around about here that I completely lost sight of what it actually is I’ve been expecting to find in these essays. To get to the crux of the matter, let’s talk about Teddy Bears.

Teddy Bears

Teddy bears are not all that great, according to Mr John Green and, while I get the point he’s making with his confronting, nay upsetting, historical anecdote, Marie and I both agree it is unacceptable to give teddy bears in general only two stars. Yes, Teddy’s (Theodore Roosevelt’s) bear was completely fucked over. But creative plushies are sorta great. And the idea that bears in general should be punished because one dear creature was brutally killed by the order of a past president, seems needlessly adding insult to injury. (There is a solid chance that my outrage at this little nugget of information sullied my general grace for this essay.)

If you want to see the true profundity of teddy bears, just give a giant one to a wonderful dog and watch as magic enters your world.

All in all, I give this batch 2.5 stars, max. But, since we have already discussed the next batch, I can say with confidence that it does get better. The next write-up will drop soon.

As always, Marie and I can be found and followed at:
@serialhobbiest
@serial_readings
@mariereads_books