If they had exhibits at the zoo of* Homo sapiens*, would you volunteer to become part of it? Would you do it for an amount of money? What if they kept you in lifestyle to which you would like to become accustomed?
How about a private exhibit, by a private collector who kept you in a fabulously comfortable style, with everything you could want except your freedom? Would you do it for a period of time, knowing that at the end of (for example) six months, you would be released with a healthy bank account?
Have you ever read Slaughterhouse Five? Billy Pilgrim’s fate I would not mind.
spoilers
being taken to an alien’s zoo, to be kept with a supermodel, and to be able to leave for extended (albeit random) periods/places of/in time. The zoo would be like a vacation, as would my real life.
Would this be a comfortable yet primitive type exhibit, or would it basically be more of a glass house? I would do it either way, but it would probably go down as the most boring exhibit in history (other than some scratching, picking, and of course some mating rituals).
“Look a man reading!” or
“Oh, it’s our lucky day. From all appearances they are about to mate! Well, that didn’t take long…” :rolleyes:
They DO have humans on exhibit!
There is a hotel in LA with a human behind glass in the lobby, being paid just to sit there looking bored. Perfect practice for a budding actor or actress who wants a part on a soap opera, where the most action in a scene is a “meaningful stare”.
If it were for less than a year, and if I were able to do it with my husband, and–most importantly–if it would pay well enough to keep us from ever having to work again, hell, yes, I would do it.
Maybe I’m just burnt out on work. But I’d so do it. Especially if I had a computer. Or a notebook. Then I could write.
I’m thinking along the lines of you can negotiate your habitat and all that with your keeper, with the caveat being that you don’t get to come out until he lets you out, and you can be observed at any time. Say, when he’s having a party and you’re an exhibit for his guests.
I have to say I’m surprised at how many people would do this. Maybe we’re wrong in assuming that caged animals have it rough.
I think, if I was living in an enviroment in which there were creatures 5 times my size regularly trying to kill me, I would jump at the chance of being offered a steel cage and regular meals.
If I could have my cat and Internet access and visits from my daughter, yes. I might want access to a swimming pool and/or hot tub, too.
I’ve had periods of time when I really couldn’t get out of the house for months, except for doctor visits. It didn’t bother me too much, I could probably do half a year or so easily.
I’ve always been fascinated by the “cave experiments” where volunteers live in a cave for a period of time, without any sort of timekeeping device. I could never do that because I’ve been on medication of one sort or another since I was about 14, and I do need to keep track of time. But I’ve always thought it would be interesting to live like that for a while.
