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Sethomas · #1

Since the search function is unavailable, I'm just working off my distant memory. But, nevertheless, I distinctly remember in a thread that I believe was about animals, Jeanette accused the Walt Disney Corporation of fabricating the popular belief that lemmings have suicidal tendencies in that they often adhere to their path even if it spells out their doom. Given the catholicity of this belief, regardless of whether or not it's true, I didn't believe her, but I had no proof to refute her so I remained silent.

Well, I found something interesting in the writings of a rather wacky 19th century French utopian sociologist.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Charles Fourier

They [the civilized masses] are veritable Lemming rats (migrating rats of Lapland), preferring drowning in a pond to deviating from the route they have decided upon.

-1838

Har! Disney still sucks, though.

Jixby Phillips · #2

http://www.snopes.com/disney/films/lemmings.htm

Sethomas · #3

I never said that I believed lemmings are actually suicidal. I always doubted it, personally, since darwinian evolution wouldn't be able to explain said behavior. My point was that Disney didn't invent this idea, though.

Jeanette X · #4

I wasn't the one who made the accusation. It was someone else.
But yes, the lemmings told me it was indeed a crock of shit when I asked them about it.

Snopes sez:

Quote:

When such a migration occurs, some lemmings die by falling over cliffs or drowning in lakes or rivers. These deaths are not deliberate "suicide" attempts, however, but accidental deaths resulting from the lemmings' venturing into unfamiliar territories and being crowded and pushed over dangerous ledges.

This is probably why Fourier had that impression about them.