Today I learned that ostriches often walk around and then forget
The image in question features a humorous text overlay on a photograph that includes an ostrich. The text is divided into two parts and reads, "Today I learned that ostriches often walk around and then forget where they are going" followed by "Today I also learned that my spirit animal may be an ostrich." The photographic backdrop shows the long neck and head of an ostrich, with what appears to be a tranquil outdoor setting blurred in the background.
Firstly, the combination of text and imagery serves as the primary source of humor in this image. The ostrich's presence visually reinforces the text and lends a certain authenticity to the claim, whether or not the statement about ostriches' behavior is scientifically accurate. The mere notion that an ostrich could wander aimlessly and forget its intended destination is inherently amusing because it anthropomorphizes the bird, attributing to it human-like forgetfulness.
Secondly, the second part of the text where the author has a moment of self-reflection and identifies the ostrich as their "spirit animal" contributes to the comedic effect. This self-deprecating humor suggests that the author sees a resemblance between the forgetful behavior of the ostrich and their own tendencies to be forgetful or distracted. The concept of a 'spirit animal' is a cultural trope often used to humorously signal a deep, almost mystical affinity with a particular trait or characteristic of an animal.
Thirdly, the humor also arises from the real-life relatability of the situation described. Many people might find the ostrich's described behavior comical because it reminds them of moments in their own lives when they've forgotten what they were doing or where they were heading. It jokes about a common human experience—the small lapses in memory or moments of absent-mindedness that everyone encounters occasionally.
The image quality and composition also play a subtle role in the humor. The ostrich appears to be captured in a spontaneous moment, with its head slightly tilted in a manner that could be interpreted as a quizzical or confused expression, which corresponds perfectly with the text. The blurriness of the background focuses all attention on the ostrich, which naturally becomes the center of the joke.
Additionally, the humor may derive from the universality of finding comedic material in animals' actions and the idea that animals, like humans, may engage in seemingly nonsensical behavior. Giving an animal human-like qualities or suggesting they engage in human-like folly is a long-standing tradition in humor, seen in everything from ancient fables to modern-day internet memes.
Lastly, the image plays on the popular meme culture in which animal-based humor is a staple. As memes are a part of modern internet language, the style and delivery of the text combined with the instantly relatable subject matter make it easily sharable across social media platforms. The combination of relatability, anthropomorphism, and self-reference all serve as reasons why people might find this image funny. Today I learned that ostriches often walk around and then forget where they are going Today I also learned that my spirit animal may be an ostrich
