Cuteness

 

I had a discussion about cuteness with a friend. Not that we disagreed very much, but still, either did we agree on everything. Both of us found this small, furry one extremely charming and thus also cute. That conclusion led us to the notion that everything furry simply is cute by nature, but what if we compare this adorable animal with a human baby? Which one is the cutest?

Cute? Well, yes, but the chinchilla may be cuter 

Some people even find human babies "ugly". I don't agree, but I have to say that I find most puppies and kittens cuter than a human baby. However, as it is, every kind of small creatures are born with a set of "vibes" that set off a cuteness alarm in many/most people. Why? Is it maternal feelings that make themselves seen? If so, this special cuteness should also go for something like this:

Everybody would shun something like this tick unless they have a scientifical interest in insects of all kinds or are masochists. It means that it's not the smallness in itself that triggers one's cuteness-detector, but something else. For instance, this insect has its own fans who swear by it and even find it very charming:

The picture reminds me of some pets I had as a child: Snails. I don't remember any of my childhood friends taking to snails, but I did, and I still like them, although not finding them "cute". Weird? Maybe, but so is almost everything when it comes to nailing the cuteness term. My friend and I didn't agree about what is - or what isn't - cute. For instance, she would have chosen the human baby over the puppies or kittens, which I didn't.

However, we agreed that this scenery is extremely cute, even though the situation may be problematic for the family of the dog who returned home with new friends. So, WHY is this cute? I think it's because it shows signs of personality and original feelings in these animals: If the story is true, they did choose each other for an unusual friendship. That's cute, it really is!

This is cute too, but I would worry that she might hurt herself being that near the flames. When asking myself WHY it's cute, it is because of her dedication: She is a very, very young child, but she is out to perform the exploit of a much older individual. That's cute, no doubt about it!