“Animals listening” is an anthropomorphic generalization. Animals may react to people, but they don’t listen to abstract ideas or expressed thoughts. Some animals like that you feed them and take care of them and interact with them, but that’s not the same as a conscious liking of you as a person. They’re simply reacting to stimulus. A hungry bear, lion, or tiger is going to eat you, and your “friendship status” would be meaningless to them. This was shown in a horrific video showing what happened to a man who tried to be “friends” with grizzlies. One of them ate him and his girlfriend because it was starving. Calvin can imagine Hobbes behaving any way he likes.
Calvin is SO right! Rabbi Harold Kutchner wrote in his book “When Bad Things Happen to Good People”, that, unlike animals who act purely on instinct, humans have the capacity to choose between good and evil, and many choose the latter. IMHO, that makes animals superior to humans.
Once again, Bill Watterson has Calvin expressing his own thoughts. This isn’t always the case, of course. He sometimes has Calvin express thoughts that he strongly disagrees with and has either Hobbes, Dad or Susie ridicule them.
He certainly shares Calvin’s view about animal companions being superior to human companions. In his introduction to Calvin in “The Calvin and Hobbes Tenth Anniversary Book”, Watterson explains that one of the things he shares with Calvin is a preference for animals over humans. In his introduction to Hobbes, he explains that he sees Hobbes as “more animal than human”.
In today’s reprint, Hobbes shows part of his human side in the way that he reacts to Calvin’s praise. It is Hobbes’s human side which Calvin finds annoying.
To quote the late and great Steve Irwin: “Crocodiles are easy, they just try to kill and eat you. People are harder. Sometimes they pretend to be your friend first.”
Hobbes definitely knows the way to break an extended self-pity tirade. Good move. Hope my friend never discovers the reason for the frequency with which I have ’sneezed’ or ‘coughed’ to break off the conversation.
BE THIS GUY 8 months ago
Hobbes isn’t asking for too much.
codycab 8 months ago
Lots of people today act more like animals.
SHIVA 8 months ago
A honey badger or a Komodo dragon would disagree with you!!
Robert4170 8 months ago
“Animals listening” is an anthropomorphic generalization. Animals may react to people, but they don’t listen to abstract ideas or expressed thoughts. Some animals like that you feed them and take care of them and interact with them, but that’s not the same as a conscious liking of you as a person. They’re simply reacting to stimulus. A hungry bear, lion, or tiger is going to eat you, and your “friendship status” would be meaningless to them. This was shown in a horrific video showing what happened to a man who tried to be “friends” with grizzlies. One of them ate him and his girlfriend because it was starving. Calvin can imagine Hobbes behaving any way he likes.
snsurone76 8 months ago
Calvin is SO right! Rabbi Harold Kutchner wrote in his book “When Bad Things Happen to Good People”, that, unlike animals who act purely on instinct, humans have the capacity to choose between good and evil, and many choose the latter. IMHO, that makes animals superior to humans.
Johnny Q Premium Member 8 months ago
Sometimes you have to settle for people who’ll ingratiate you for a piece of your money…
orinoco womble 8 months ago
Many animals will kill one that doesn’t fit in, that doesn’t follow the group norms. There’s that.
Bilan 8 months ago
If you want friends, you have to be one.
Minor detail, but that’s life.
stillfickled Premium Member 8 months ago
Ahhh, my favorite shot. The back of Calvin’s head!
Calvinist1966 8 months ago
Once again, Bill Watterson has Calvin expressing his own thoughts. This isn’t always the case, of course. He sometimes has Calvin express thoughts that he strongly disagrees with and has either Hobbes, Dad or Susie ridicule them.
He certainly shares Calvin’s view about animal companions being superior to human companions. In his introduction to Calvin in “The Calvin and Hobbes Tenth Anniversary Book”, Watterson explains that one of the things he shares with Calvin is a preference for animals over humans. In his introduction to Hobbes, he explains that he sees Hobbes as “more animal than human”.
In today’s reprint, Hobbes shows part of his human side in the way that he reacts to Calvin’s praise. It is Hobbes’s human side which Calvin finds annoying.
markkahler52 8 months ago
So many truths touched on in this one! Especially about needing more money! Animals and most Humans just act on their it stinks; not reason…
Schmoozr 8 months ago
To quote the late and great Steve Irwin: “Crocodiles are easy, they just try to kill and eat you. People are harder. Sometimes they pretend to be your friend first.”
Link from Twilight Princess (He/Him) 8 months ago
“True friends are hard to come by, I need more money” That was a funny line
sandpiper 8 months ago
Hobbes definitely knows the way to break an extended self-pity tirade. Good move. Hope my friend never discovers the reason for the frequency with which I have ’sneezed’ or ‘coughed’ to break off the conversation.
gantech 8 months ago
Aww, c’mon Calvin…is a tuna fish sandwich so much to ask? You’re not the easest kid in the world to like!
mindjob 8 months ago
Some animals like you the way you are, others would prefer to add a little salt and pepper
gantech 8 months ago
Anyone besides me notice how (at least in this strip) “THBPBTPTH” is the same sound he makes when he’s giving the raspberry?
Free or Not? Premium Member 8 months ago
Like People, Animals have a group that expresses their feeling on humans: AETH.
It is like the true meaning of PETA, but means “Animals Eating Tasty Humans”.
Animals Like Humans just fine- they taste great!
uniquename 8 months ago
Unless, of course, the animals are hungry and happen to be a predator. Then they’re not so nice.
rshive 8 months ago
Of course, animals are sometimes conditional.
mrsdonaldson 8 months ago
Where did Hobbes have that hanky?
Otis Rufus Driftwood 8 months ago
With Hobbes, you never know.
dgaietto22 7 months ago
I love the 1st and 2nd panels. Cracked me up.
mistercatworks 7 months ago
Large cats must be different from domestic cats. :)
willie_mctell 7 months ago
Hobbes is a cat.
Kevin Parker Premium Member 7 months ago
Where does Hobbes keep his handkerchief?
Gamerkillss 7 months ago
WHERE IS THE BREAK-IN ARC
Jayalexander 7 months ago
Many do not require seasonings when they eat you.