Cuteness Kills | Valerie Edelman | TEDxRiverdaleCountrySchool

when I first mentioned the Pangolin to

when I first mentioned the Pangolin to people the question I always get is do

people the question I always get is do

people the question I always get is do you mean penguin no I do not and that’s

you mean penguin no I do not and that’s

you mean penguin no I do not and that’s precisely the problem the penguin is the

precisely the problem the penguin is the

precisely the problem the penguin is the most traffic animal in the world and

most traffic animal in the world and

most traffic animal in the world and it’s said to go extinct before anyone

it’s said to go extinct before anyone

it’s said to go extinct before anyone even realize it existed why because of

even realize it existed why because of

even realize it existed why because of our conception of cuteness now when I

our conception of cuteness now when I

our conception of cuteness now when I first said penguin you might have

first said penguin you might have

first said penguin you might have thought oh it’s an exotic island or some

thought oh it’s an exotic island or some

thought oh it’s an exotic island or some sort of instrument both reasonable

sort of instrument both reasonable

sort of instrument both reasonable guesses based on lack of context but

guesses based on lack of context but

guesses based on lack of context but what the penguin really is is the

what the penguin really is is the

what the penguin really is is the species of the order fully DOTA well

species of the order fully DOTA well

species of the order fully DOTA well actually there are eight species of

actually there are eight species of

actually there are eight species of penguins but I’ll just talk about them

penguins but I’ll just talk about them

penguins but I’ll just talk about them as though there are one for simplicity

as though there are one for simplicity

as though there are one for simplicity sake so they are of the order full of

sake so they are of the order full of

sake so they are of the order full of dota but I’m sure that snippet of

dota but I’m sure that snippet of

dota but I’m sure that snippet of information doesn’t give you much better

information doesn’t give you much better

information doesn’t give you much better insight into what they actually are so

insight into what they actually are so

insight into what they actually are so I’ll describe them in the way I think of

I’ll describe them in the way I think of

I’ll describe them in the way I think of them as a mix between the theater and

them as a mix between the theater and

them as a mix between the theater and the armadillo or as a New York Times

the armadillo or as a New York Times

the armadillo or as a New York Times said they drop a comparison between the

said they drop a comparison between the

said they drop a comparison between the artichoke and the pinecone this is the

artichoke and the pinecone this is the

artichoke and the pinecone this is the penguin the penguins are brown and scaly

penguin the penguins are brown and scaly

penguin the penguins are brown and scaly their scales are actually made out of

their scales are actually made out of

their scales are actually made out of keratin the same thing in our hair and

keratin the same thing in our hair and

keratin the same thing in our hair and nails and it is a widely circulated myth

nails and it is a widely circulated myth

nails and it is a widely circulated myth in Asia that their meat nourishes the

in Asia that their meat nourishes the

in Asia that their meat nourishes the kidneys and provides healing benefits

kidneys and provides healing benefits

kidneys and provides healing benefits although these have been disproven

although these have been disproven

although these have been disproven penguin products are still on the market

penguin products are still on the market

penguin products are still on the market and Pangolin poachers are still on the

and Pangolin poachers are still on the

and Pangolin poachers are still on the hunt for penguins but it’s not just the

hunt for penguins but it’s not just the

hunt for penguins but it’s not just the penguin poachers and consumers of the

penguin poachers and consumers of the

penguin poachers and consumers of the products that are in the wrong because

products that are in the wrong because

products that are in the wrong because if you’re not part of the solution

if you’re not part of the solution

if you’re not part of the solution you’re part of the problem

you’re part of the problem

you’re part of the problem that’s how endangered the Penguins are

that’s how endangered the Penguins are

that’s how endangered the Penguins are it was Konrad Lorenz who first came up

it was Konrad Lorenz who first came up

it was Konrad Lorenz who first came up with the idea of baby schema or kingdom

with the idea of baby schema or kingdom

with the idea of baby schema or kingdom schema the idea that there is a certain

schema the idea that there is a certain

schema the idea that there is a certain set of characteristics like chubby

set of characteristics like chubby

set of characteristics like chubby cheeks big eyes button nose baby

cheeks big eyes button nose baby

cheeks big eyes button nose baby features that make a caregiver want to

features that make a caregiver want to

features that make a caregiver want to interact and show affection to a child

interact and show affection to a child

interact and show affection to a child and it’s not just babies humans have

and it’s not just babies humans have

and it’s not just babies humans have been breeding PETA morphic character

been breeding PETA morphic character

been breeding PETA morphic character traits into dogs for centuries giving

traits into dogs for centuries giving

traits into dogs for centuries giving them traits that make them appear

them traits that make them appear

them traits that make them appear younger like a white head big eyes small

younger like a white head big eyes small

younger like a white head big eyes small nose puppy features and injuries proven

nose puppy features and injuries proven

nose puppy features and injuries proven that dogs with these pedo morphic

that dogs with these pedo morphic

that dogs with these pedo morphic features have higher adoption rates than

features have higher adoption rates than

features have higher adoption rates than shelter dogs without them it is also

shelter dogs without them it is also

shelter dogs without them it is also thought that when interacting with

thought that when interacting with

thought that when interacting with beings people find cue

beings people find cue

beings people find cue there’s a quantity of dopamine that’s

there’s a quantity of dopamine that’s

there’s a quantity of dopamine that’s released into the brain causing a

released into the brain causing a

released into the brain causing a heightened sense of euphoria or

heightened sense of euphoria or

heightened sense of euphoria or temporary happiness so if people get

temporary happiness so if people get

temporary happiness so if people get happy when they’re with puppies and

happy when they’re with puppies and

happy when they’re with puppies and babies and the things they find cute

babies and the things they find cute

babies and the things they find cute they have an incentive to be with them

they have an incentive to be with them

they have an incentive to be with them but if they don’t find the pangolins

but if they don’t find the pangolins

but if they don’t find the pangolins cute what’s their incentive to engage

cute what’s their incentive to engage

cute what’s their incentive to engage with them well the pangolins may not

with them well the pangolins may not

with them well the pangolins may not check the conventional key box they have

check the conventional key box they have

check the conventional key box they have small black beady eyes they’re low to

small black beady eyes they’re low to

small black beady eyes they’re low to the ground they have weirdly long nails

the ground they have weirdly long nails

the ground they have weirdly long nails they don’t have the valence of a

they don’t have the valence of a

they don’t have the valence of a mountain lion or the viral cuteness of a

mountain lion or the viral cuteness of a

mountain lion or the viral cuteness of a roly poly panda but I think they’re cute

roly poly panda but I think they’re cute

roly poly panda but I think they’re cute they curl up in a ball when threatened

they curl up in a ball when threatened

they curl up in a ball when threatened they carry their babies on their back

they carry their babies on their back

they carry their babies on their back they look like they have a pressing

they look like they have a pressing

they look like they have a pressing question but they’re too shy to ask it

and I suppose if you don’t think they’re

and I suppose if you don’t think they’re cute at this point I can’t fill the deep

cute at this point I can’t fill the deep

cute at this point I can’t fill the deep and pretentious space where your heart

and pretentious space where your heart

and pretentious space where your heart should be I mean I hope that you can

should be I mean I hope that you can

should be I mean I hope that you can change your conception of cuteness to

change your conception of cuteness to

change your conception of cuteness to embrace those that really need your help

embrace those that really need your help

embrace those that really need your help not just those that will give you the

not just those that will give you the

not just those that will give you the most self-satisfaction this is the

most self-satisfaction this is the

most self-satisfaction this is the penguin thank you

penguin thank you

penguin thank you [Applause]