Name: How the teddy bear taught us compassion
Uploaded: 2014-05-27T14:50:57Z
Duration: 14 min 2 s
Description: In 1902, President Theodore Roosevelt legendarily spared the life of a black bear -- and prompted a plush toy craze for so-called "teddy bears." Writer Jon Mooallem digs into this toy story and asks us to consider how the tales we tell about wild animals have real consequences for a species' chance of survival -- and the natural world at large.

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In 1902, President Theodore Roosevelt legendarily spared the life of a black bear -- and prompted a plush toy craze for so-called "teddy bears." Writer Jon Mooallem digs into this toy story and asks us to consider how the tales we tell about wild animals have real consequences for a species' chance of survival -- and the natural world at large.

Jon Mooallem: How the teddy bear taught us compassion

How the teddy bear taught us compassion

The birth of the teddy bear reflects our complex relationship with nature, oscillating between domination and compassion.

Our stories shape the survival of species; emotional narratives about animals can dictate conservation efforts and outcomes.

Conservation reliance highlights human impact on nature: species survival now hinges on our continued intervention and empathy.