Or: That One Time I Used the Internet to Actually Look Something Up*
*Did you know that the Internet is a great source of factual information?! It’s TRUE!
In case you somehow missed it, I have a cat.
You don’t have to be old to be a cat lady! It’s equal opportunity!
She is an important part of my life. I’ve had her since I was 15. When I was 15**, I was not very good at doing things like “leaving the cat alone” and “not picking her up and snuggling her with every fiber of my being.”
**Also now. Still now. She’s just so cute.
Kittykittykittykittykittykittykitty!
Some people have formed opinions regarding the fact that my cat shows me an equal level of obsessive attention.
These are generic friends. I bet you wish you had generic friends to insert into blog posts. (I call them “Jen” and “Eric”)
When I was 15, this resulted in a modest level of curiosity. As an avid fan of The Muppets, I was relatively sure that “Stockholm Syndrome” meant that you had some form of speech impediment that made you talk like the Swedish Chef:
Bork bork bork! Hergy Blerghy Bork!
Click for source, because this is not a picture I took.
In fact, Stockholm Syndrome has nothing at all to do with chefs, and very little to do with Sweden. The term dates back to the 1973, when an armed robber strolled into a bank in Norrmalmstorg Square, in Stockholm, Sweden. (Click here to check out one of the many tellings of this story.) He took four hostages and made life wildly unpleasant for the police for several days.
This is probably the most dangerous doodle I have ever drawn. Also, I only felt like drawing three hostages, because this is a generic example.
While this was going on, observers noticed something super weird.
If only all kidnappers, hostage takers, and generally terrible people were all this forthcoming.
The hostages were resistant to police, but companionable with their kidnapper. It doesn’t make a whole bunch of sense at first glance.
In fact, it seems downright counter-intuitive
But when you look at things historically, it does seem a little more logical, if completely bleak.
Not all gunmen are so explanatory.
It doesn’t have much place on a humor blog.
Because yelling at someone with a gun is totally safe….if you’re a stick figure that I draw.
It’s a syndrome seen in kidnapped victims, hostages, and victims of abuse.
It’s also given Stockholm a bad name, via association. Poor Stockholm.
It always confused me why people would regularly toss around a term that has such deep psychologically damaging implications.
Anything is possible. Except spontaneous flight.
Especially when there’s obviously a much more rational explanation.
She totally is. Especially if food is involved.
Yeah. That must be it.
Also, Here Is Why I Did Not Blog Yesterday:
Yep. Totally blind.
I had to go to the eye doctor. It was very time consuming***.
***Also, I probably took a nap. Maybe.
As an aside, Stockholm Syndrome is super serious, as is abuse and kidnapping. They don’t just happen to girls and women, either. If you happen to know someone who is, or might be, suffering from abuse, kidnapping, or other terrible things, here are some great resources to help:
And let’s all try to treat each other like human beings, ok?
Perpetual Plot Hole 
Humor note: If you have not already done so, look up the Swedish Chef video on The Muppets’ YouTube channel.
Serious note:thanks for explaining this. Using this and “drink the kool-aid” in everyday situations annoys me.
a) I love your cat
2) If I ever get kidnapped I am going to demand long explainations from my kidnappers (except i probably will just cry instead)
iii) I love that you cat has human feet!!
(I may have said that before!)
PS: I find Stockholm Syndrome quite scary, but also, an amazingly fascinating human coping mechanism!
Good research, I learned something and enjoyed the side story about you relationship with Newt. Well told.
Okay, I am usually the one for philosophical questions (you might know me from questions such as: Why do your pebbles have legs? or Who let the dogs out?), so I’ll ask for a friend (totally not me): Can you have Stockholm Syndrome with a town and does that town then have to be Stockholm?
I have ‘people kitties’* too. They (all three) follow me from room to room most of the time. But they each ask for and respond to affection differently. Like my kids.
*I made this term up. It is mine. Don’t ever use it. 😉
This article or how to compare a simple domestic cat relationship with Stockholm Syndrome, you are very imaginative. I like that. x)
About the serious part, issues like these don’t interest me basically. I do understand that it is difficult and by the way, I am very interested in psychology but I prefer to go “beyond things”. I think this expression (“going beyond things”) will sum up my way of thinking. However, I still enjoy reading your articles and I find you funny.
I hope the first part of my comment won’t trigger death threats… (I can be funny too, haha…)
I’m looking forward for new articles ! 😉
Stockholm Syndrome is scary, your cat is adorable, and I always tried putting my cat in a stroller and pushing her around. My munchkin brain just didn’t understand why the cat didn’t love it. She ran. Every time.
All of these are excellent points, and if I had access to a stroller, my cat would have been in it, period. For at least half a second. You know, before she followed your cat’s lead.
Seriously, who doesn’t love a random stroller ride?