Yvonne now has her own Cafepress shop, so that you can support the author and at the same time, get some great sheepy kit; mugs, clothing, bags, mousemats, postcards, greetings cards and much more. If you don't see the design you'd like on the item you'd like, just contact me!
3 comments:
Just because we lack the ability to understand the subtleties of facial expression and body language of the sheep does not mean that they lack emotions.
Given that sheep have been proven, by extensive research, to quickly and easily develop an accurate ability to understand and respond to the facial expressions of humans, does this not suggest that they have a far more subtle and complex system of their own, to which we mere humans are obstinately blind?
I find it sad when we feel the need to mock an animal - however affectionately - which is offering no possible threat to us, merely because we lack understanding.
Sheena the sheepwoman
Hi Sheena, I'm sorry that you felt I was mocking the sheep.
If anything I value animals more than humans, I agree with you strongly that we don't understand or appreciate anything that's not human.
Be assured that I love sheep, I've met many and cuddled two in particular who I've had fleece from, in on case made a jumper and from the other a cardy.
On the whole, my cartoons are mocking people rather than sheep. On the face of it they're badly-drawn sheep but they're anthropomorphised to a great extent, they're really not sheep. Their words and actions (and emotions!) are human. Or mostly human. The combination of the sheep world and the human one makes some absurdities which I at least find funny.
The sheep emotion frame is different. Yes, it's a cheap shot, not particularly subtle. If you take it literally, I guess it says that sheep *do* have emotions (hence the labels) but that we as humans see the same straight face. Which I think is what you've said.
I'm sorry it didn't work for you (it is actually one of the more popular ones, I'm not proud to report). I hope it's just this one frame, and that some of the others might raise a smile. If not, I'm sorry but no problem. I don't think any humour works for absolutely everyone.
It's a standard comedy trope, you generalise and play off the stereotypes. Personally I don't think it's a cheap shot, though Sheena is obviously offended about the broader idea of sheep being mindless erm,.. well sheep!
They ARE synonymous with a group of people with no minds of their own. That's not an invention of this cartoonist, it's an idea that's older than I care to think about. Perhaps comparing them to any people is also unkind to sheep, but it's something that is very human.
If think it's quite clear that after reading quite a few Yvonne's that Shiela's sheep do indeed have feelings, and I might add "No sheep('s feelings) were harmed during the making of this comic. :-)
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