Chain emails: misinforming the unwary about zoology, one recipient at a time

[huinare]

Dear originator of inspirational raptor falsehood:
Can you hawk (no pun intended) your fine sentiment in some less disrespectful way than spreading misinformation?  If you can't make a point without doing it via a lie, what exactly are you good for?

Comments

[hhimring]

To me, that looks like a reincarnation of a story that is really, really old. That earlier (pre-zoological) version of the rejuvenation of the eagle differed from this one in detail but also usually came with a moral allegory.

[huinare.livejournal.com]

Ah, I'm not surprised this is based on an earlier story. It did seem like it had a mythological quality, falsely applied to real phenomena.

Which, I mean, I'd be fine with it if they clearly presented it as a story. I even approve of the allegory, as its message has proven useful for me. It's just the idea of presenting it in such a way that people who know nothing about animals are now going to walk away from their computers going, "Omigosh, do you know what these eagles do?!" Little irks me like spreading misinformation about empirically observable facts.