Why Do We Relate to Punch the Monkey?
What Creates Resilience?
Punch, the baby Japanese macaque rejected by his birth mother, has flooded the internet, gaining international fame for clinging to his stuffed orangutan toy to reduce his loneliness. Our collective hearts united, crossing country borders and party lines, all rooting for Punch to find love after abandonment.
The internet cheered when an adult macaque monkey finally reached out to Punch, hugging and grooming him.
Although the Social Sciences historically caution against anthropomorphism, rejecting any attempt to place human traits on animals, undoubtedly many of us relate to Punch’s story as if he were a human child overcoming a troubling past and exhibiting resilience.
Some key points about resilience highlighted in a Psychology Today online article include how we (and Punch) can transcend difficulties, exploring what creates resilience.
No surprise, harsh times alone won’t guarantee learning how to bounce back.
Sometimes, people (and likely monkeys) get stuck.
“In some cases…traumatized individuals may develop maladaptive coping skills, such as substance use, that negatively impact them and may reduce their ability to cope with future challenges,” according to the article.
Failure, though, can be a powerful teacher, educating us “to be okay with making mistakes, big or small … a critical skill—one tied not only to resilience but also, perhaps, to future success.” According to the article, research suggests that people who’ve experienced early set backs often have more successes later in life than those who start off stronger. So there’s hope Punch will be fine despite his dramatic ordeal.
Curious about your level of resilience?
Psychology Today offers a Resilience Test; the questions are worth considering despite the obvious simplistic nature of the assessment.
How do you keep going when you’ve bumped into a metaphorical wall?
What lessons have you learned from Punch?
Why do you think people are so entranced by Punch?
Thank you for this ultimately affirming story and reminder.
i think one lesson is when a parent rejects you, it’s about the parent. certainly no one can say the baby monkey did something wrong- was too loud, too messy, too much. but we blame ourselves when someone rejects us, like we deserved it.