Welcome back to Chat Pack, a once-a-month open thread inspired by the Chat Pack discussion cards of my youth. Last time we discussed what's getting you through. I’ll host the next one on July 1st.
Some time a few years ago, when I felt like everyone was giving rats such a hard time, I started coming to their defense. When people inevitably start to vocalize their hatred of rats, I’ll say things like, “They’re just trying to live their lives” or “You think squirrels and chipmunks and prairie dogs are cute—they’re all cozied up in the Rodentia order right next to rats!” Inevitably, someone will whip out the ol’ “They spread disease” argument and I’ll counter with the fact that humans also spread disease, are responsible in fact for this whole bloody pandemic. That doesn’t really shut people up about hantavirus and the plague, but it makes me feel better. The rats are just trying to live!
Here’s an excerpt of a conversation with someone I’d hoped might come home with me, and my God did I drive the nail into the coffin on that date.
For me at least, it’s a total riot to love something everyone else hates—to take out this back-pocket opinion and lob it over to a group of surprised people, an underhand pitch they didn’t expect. It leaves them holding the ball trying to defend their hatred of these creatures that, in all likelihood, never did them wrong.
Admit it! It’s impressive to drag a slice of pizza from a New York City sidewalk back to the rat den. It’s resourceful to scavenge all the shiny pretty things in your life from what others have discarded. To pool resources with your scampering little friends, guarding the keys to the city, while the city hates you. That’s the real triumph.
What do you love that everyone else hates? And why do you love it? Are you vocal about your unpopular opinion? Do you keep it to yourself? Have you been shamed for it? Celebrated for it? Is it part of your identity?
Rats can read human emotions and studies have shown that they have empathy! It is also apparently really easy to teach them tricks if you own one as a pet. They have scent glands on their feet that leave a trail and allow them to sniff their way back to their den after grabbing that piece of pizza. Just a few more facts you can use to defend them :) I am sure you aren't surprised to hear that I'm also a fan!
I think I've always felt an affinity for the underdog. I love rats, too. I had one (haha, I like to tell myself it was the same one) whom I named Lucky who lived in the alley of my previous residence. I would see him in the morning, nibbling weeds in the garden. One time I brought him an almost-empty jar of almond butter and he got in there and licked it clean. It was so cute. But my favorite animals are sharks. I have shark stuff everywhere. I get really upset when there is a show about sharks that makes them seem like bloodthirsty monsters. I have never seen nor read Jaws, and I never will.
I guess my earliest unpopular love is spinach (and liver with bacon and onions). I DID like it, but when I realized it made me look good in contrast to my older sister, who didn't, I experienced a not unpleasant feeling of power and leverage. Might or might not have encouraged my "love" of spinach.
I personally hate that confrontation has such a bad reputation. I'd so much rather someone be a little blunt but get their feelings out. It's seen as hostile and it shouldn't be it's just a form of ~communication~ Let's get behind confrontation. smh
Oh I LOOOOVE this prompt hahahaha. I love divas... insufferable, chintzy, pink glitter divas; Ariana Grande is one of my favorite artists at almost 31-years old. I also love really out-of-touch cultural villains like Gwyneth Paltrow and Elon Musk because they are innocent in their own perverse way and serve as proof that nothing is real lol
Rats can read human emotions and studies have shown that they have empathy! It is also apparently really easy to teach them tricks if you own one as a pet. They have scent glands on their feet that leave a trail and allow them to sniff their way back to their den after grabbing that piece of pizza. Just a few more facts you can use to defend them :) I am sure you aren't surprised to hear that I'm also a fan!
I think I've always felt an affinity for the underdog. I love rats, too. I had one (haha, I like to tell myself it was the same one) whom I named Lucky who lived in the alley of my previous residence. I would see him in the morning, nibbling weeds in the garden. One time I brought him an almost-empty jar of almond butter and he got in there and licked it clean. It was so cute. But my favorite animals are sharks. I have shark stuff everywhere. I get really upset when there is a show about sharks that makes them seem like bloodthirsty monsters. I have never seen nor read Jaws, and I never will.
All I can think of is Michael Jackson's song Ben. No thank you on the rats.
I guess my earliest unpopular love is spinach (and liver with bacon and onions). I DID like it, but when I realized it made me look good in contrast to my older sister, who didn't, I experienced a not unpleasant feeling of power and leverage. Might or might not have encouraged my "love" of spinach.
I personally hate that confrontation has such a bad reputation. I'd so much rather someone be a little blunt but get their feelings out. It's seen as hostile and it shouldn't be it's just a form of ~communication~ Let's get behind confrontation. smh
Oh I LOOOOVE this prompt hahahaha. I love divas... insufferable, chintzy, pink glitter divas; Ariana Grande is one of my favorite artists at almost 31-years old. I also love really out-of-touch cultural villains like Gwyneth Paltrow and Elon Musk because they are innocent in their own perverse way and serve as proof that nothing is real lol