The other day someone mentioned a newsfeed detailing the closure Ringling Bros. & Barnum Bailey Circus this upcoming May after over 146 years in existence. They were struck by my initial non-reaction, though I am unsure why because sentimentality is not usually my strong suit. However, upon further thought the notice of the closing of the circus formerly known as the “Greatest Show On Earth”, was indeed noteworthy on many fronts.
I had not been to a Ringling Bros. circus in many many years. There were not many extras growing up. We went to a play once because my mother was friends with one of the ensemble characters many years after its initial run. The movies was a luxury we enjoyed as a family only a few times growing up. However, for a five or six year run, my mother managed to make a trip to the circus one of the most memorable and enjoyable facets of my childhood.
The acrobatics and death defying stunts were just the precursor to the amazement my brother and I had at the sensory overload experience the circus provided. For me the draw was always the animals. Even as a kid I thought it was quite silly to have bears riding tricycles and tigers jumping through hoops literally, but my fascination with large animals definitely was born from seeing them relatively up close (our seats were definitely the best). To this day I am fascinated by lions, tigers, bears and elephants. I do not know if the circus was the cause or the effect, but I do not it was a significant contributor.
As time passed my interest in Ringling Bros. diminished. Not having children to pass on the tradition of the experience definitely contributed to the lost connection with that particular circus. Yet, there was an even stronger contributor and that was knowledge and awareness.
As the years went on animal activists became more vocal and prominent in bringing awareness to the plight of captive large animals being forced to perform silly tricks for our amusement. It is always initially a quandary for the public to come to a realization that something they enjoy so much and support is in fact contributing to the well being of the animals that are so loved and captivating.
The deaths of several elephants over the years provided animal activists with the publicity needed to bring awareness to the public of the harm that captivity and working was inflicting on these animals. So when Ringling Bros. finally succumbed to the pressure and retired the use of the elephants and many of their other animals from the show, the declining ticket sales eventually dictated that the show could not go on.
The transition from animals that had been such an integral part of its identity to just acrobatics and showmanship, was hindered by the public’s recognition of Cirque Du Soleil as the undisputed leader in that type of performance art.
Nostalgia is often a tricky proposition, particularly when mixed with reason and knowledge. As we get older we often come to the realization that there was something seriously wrong or flawed in some of the things that we once loved or gave us joy. Sitting on our fathers lap driving down the road, may have been some of the best and most cherished memories for some of you, today we know it’s not only a bad idea, it would probably get your dad arrested and minimally a visit from child services.
So many of us love and are captivated by the spectacle of seeing large animals. Most of us are not going to get a chance to visit the Serengeti and see lions in their natural habitats or go to the Pacific Northwest and see Orcas in the wild. The closest we get are zoos, Seaquariums, circuses and fairs. They bring awareness to the majesty of these animals and the need for their conservation and protection, while we come to understand that we were unwitting enablers in their unwellness. The irony is that a love and admiration for many of these animals that was spawned by our experiences is at the heart of why we cannot continue to support Ringling Bros. and other institutions that ultimately may contribute to hurting these same animals, no matter the great feeling of nostalgia that they once brought.
#nostalgia, #RinglingBros. , #CirqueDuSoleil, #Circusclosure, #animalrights, #animalactivists, #seaquariums, #Orcas, #elephants, #lions, #tigers, #zoos, #Peta
