I think there’s potential in focusing more on stag hunts (have been thinking about this for a while). Also, I like the illustrations!
One quick point—I think that the metaphor is a bit weaker when the “protagonists” are wolves, and the prizes are rabbits and stags. I was much more sympathetic to the rabbits and stags than the wolves. I’m used to stories where the wolves are the antagonists (Peter and the Wolf, Little Red Riding Hood, etct). One option might be to replace the wolves with humans and maybe not get too deep into the hunting details/imagery.
I take your point about the wolves as antagonists. It’s funny, as you mention, using human hunters would be problematic (particularly in my audience, or the EA crowd—with probably a higher percentage of ethical vegans than the general population). The wolves were a logical solution to this, given we all accept that wolves hunt deer and hares as a (morally neutral) fact of nature, and they fit the scenario because they’re pack hunters who capitalise on cooperation. I also thought they were more relatable than, say, velociraptors.
Also, as a general rule, I don’t do humans, the characters are always other animals. I suppose I could have done a group of dogs dressed up as hunters, to avoid the antagonist inference, but then we have a sort of anthropomorphic version of the same issue we had with humans. Cartoons are a much trickier beast than is immediately apparent :)
If you’re partial to the Stag Hunt, did you catch my critique of the Prisoner’s Dilemma: The Dilemma’s Dilemma? I’d be interested if you agree.
I think there’s potential in focusing more on stag hunts (have been thinking about this for a while). Also, I like the illustrations!
One quick point—I think that the metaphor is a bit weaker when the “protagonists” are wolves, and the prizes are rabbits and stags. I was much more sympathetic to the rabbits and stags than the wolves. I’m used to stories where the wolves are the antagonists (Peter and the Wolf, Little Red Riding Hood, etct). One option might be to replace the wolves with humans and maybe not get too deep into the hunting details/imagery.
Thanks Ozzie,
I take your point about the wolves as antagonists. It’s funny, as you mention, using human hunters would be problematic (particularly in my audience, or the EA crowd—with probably a higher percentage of ethical vegans than the general population). The wolves were a logical solution to this, given we all accept that wolves hunt deer and hares as a (morally neutral) fact of nature, and they fit the scenario because they’re pack hunters who capitalise on cooperation. I also thought they were more relatable than, say, velociraptors.
Also, as a general rule, I don’t do humans, the characters are always other animals. I suppose I could have done a group of dogs dressed up as hunters, to avoid the antagonist inference, but then we have a sort of anthropomorphic version of the same issue we had with humans. Cartoons are a much trickier beast than is immediately apparent :)
If you’re partial to the Stag Hunt, did you catch my critique of the Prisoner’s Dilemma: The Dilemma’s Dilemma? I’d be interested if you agree.
That doesn’t seem any better to me.
If you don’t want to use humans, I would wonder if maybe you could use some neutral human-stand-in with more positive associations.