I thought it was very interesting and appropriate ending class yesterday with a discussion about happiness. While watching this documentary about Tim a lot of us assumed that he was crazy or weird or somehow mentally unstable. Either way no matter his condition, Tim was clearly happy. He absolutely loved socializing with the bears, living in the outdoors, and documenting his interactions. Like we discussed in class, the main components to happiness include rising above your own expectations, setting goals and working towards them, and being appreciated for who you are. Tim rose above his own expectations by following his dreams and living with the bears year after year. He accomplished numerous goals interacting with the bears, befriending foxes, and surviving with out human civilization. Most of all, Tim lived well by being accepted by his "animal friends." In his mind, the bears and foxes loved Tim for who he was, and even helped him come over a drinking problem, cope with his "lack of women," and become a better person. The animals truly became Tim's friends (in his mind) and he felt more connected to the bears and foxes than he did to any humans.
All of this evidence can be very supportive of a theory of Tim's mental insanity, but I think it's stronger support for the idea that Tim really did reach self actualization. He was doing what made him happy, even though he had to break multiple laws, go against the human norm, and ignore society. We might think he was just a crazy bear lover, but Tim wouldn't have cared because he was happy and the bears were safe, and that's all that mattered to him. He found his purpose in life, and although we know that his "purpose" to protect the bears was unnecessary, he continued to do his duty.
I agree completely with your assessment of Tim. It is amazing to watch the footage that he has of himself interacting with the bears, and to know that he thought the bears loved him unconditionally in the way that he loved them. Of course, when we see the footage, it is clear that the bears do not respond to his declarations of love, his questions, or his suggestions. Somehow, however, Treadwell managed to convince himself that these animals cared about him enough to accept them into their home. He saw them as actively welcoming him into their habitat, instead of idly standing by and watching him enter in uninvited. He truly believed that they made him a better person, and he was more like them than he was like other humans.
ReplyDeleteI think you both bring up a good point about Tim finding happiness in what he believed was a world-changing pursuit, even if his presence in the reservation wasn't actually changing anything. I think in some ways, although it's a bit of a morbid subject, that it is fitting that he died doing what he loved and believed in. Tim clearly had a lot of trouble fitting in in the "human world" whereas when he was with the bears he could at least pretend that they loved him and that he was doing some greater good. Tim could have easily died as an alcoholic, as he almost did, had he stayed in society, but because he found the bears he managed to live a much fuller, happier life.
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