Cuteness

I spoke to the class last week about cuteness. Attractiveness. The arrangement of features that somehow resonate with a code in our brain that causes us to like something. We want to take it home and let it in. Or, since we're watching vampire movies, "invite it in". A bad parasite appears repulsive therefore creating barriers and mental resistance from the host. This means they have to get messy or sneaky and force their way in. But the body is still opposed to it. Toxoplasma Gondii is not a bad parasite. By the way, I'm talking about 'bad' and 'good' relative to their jobs, not the black and white moral sense of good and bad. I'm not really prepared to discuss that tonight. Anyhow, Toxoplasma Gondii can theoretically make you like cats. This proves to be very successful for them, as it gives Toxo a way in. I like to think that a parasite is not as much "eating beside" but instead "eating inside". Good parasites make us come to them. What's a greater display of power than playing it cool and letting everyone else do your work for you? I don't even need to mention that vampires, attractiveness and parasitism go together quite often. A certain sparkle-eyed Forks resident is only the latest and certainly not the last of attractive parasites. The Femme Fatale, and whatever the male version of that is (ladykiller?) are age old tropes we've had in our culture for years. Homer used it in The Odyssey, seen here updated by the Cohen's 'O Brother, Where Art Thou?'

Why is it so popular to be double-crossed and swindled by some pretty looker? Because it's so effective. We seek it out. We're drawn to it. Blood flukes are about as successful as the XFL compared to the attractive parasite.

I'm wrestling now. There is wrestling being done.

Because I'm in that space again where I don't know if I've sidestepped the concept or not. Is it still a parasite if we let it in? Where is that distinction? Where is the difference between making a choice on our own will and being affected as to invite the vampire in? The sirens lure, but one must still bite the hook. Of course, we don't think there's going to be a hook where we seek out a juicy treat. So yeah, that's still parasitism in my book. I feel like deception is a fundamental element of my parasitism Litmus test. If we knew fully well what we were getting into and still sought it out, then there has to be something we gain from this relationship. Suddenly, the scale tips towards mutualism. Twilight's Bella Swan seems fairly aware of all the quirks of dating Casper the Friendly Vampire, so I'm crossing that off the list. The Horror of Dracula has a lot more unsuspecting victims. Not to mention females who are utterly powerless to do anything whatsoever. It's really refreshing to see something today (or ten years ago, to be more accurate) like Buffy the Vampire Slayer after something like that Dracula film. Ok, I might or might not have the entirety of the Buffy series on DVD. I might or might not be a big fan of that show. Who knows? It's a mystery. I'll never tell. Side note: "I'll Never Tell" is also the name of a song on the Buffy musical episode in season 6. I um, don't know how I got that information.