Why Are Squirrels So Popular?
So…what is it with the popularity of squirrels? It seems every time I turn on my TV or browse YouTube, I come across snippets of film that shows squirrels terrifying people, or making them laugh, or simply annoying the heck out of them. How, pray tell, did squirrels suddenly become the darling of John Q. Public and the media? Make no mistake about it – even though they are portrayed in a negative light, squirrels are ‘in’. Yup, that’s right. Popular. Trendy. Current. Sexy, if you will.
So, let’s think about that. Here we have a rodent-like creature scurrying around the fringes of our homes and businesses. As rodents go, squirrels are a cross between being the James Dean and the James Bond of the ratty set, with sleek bodies, luxurious tails, and a street-smart attitude, even in the most remote residential areas. Bad boys. Living on the fringes, thumbing their noses at conventional norms and polite society.
Can it be that squrrels epitomize everything we love and hate in ourselves? The fearlessness, the brash disregard for social etiquette, and the ability to stay cool under any circumstances while continuing to operate with impunity? No wonder we can’t decide whether we want to remove squirrels from our immediate environment, or hang their posters in our basement.
Ah, yes…the “bad boys” of Mother Nature. And don’t most of us deep down love the bad boys?