Man vs Bear

05/07/24 • 5 min

A hypothetical question, asking women whether they would rather be stuck in the woods with a man or a bear, has gone viral on TikTok. It’s got people talking about gender-based violence, sexual assaults, and men’s mental health. But where did this thought experiment come from? The BBC’s Ellie House talks Adam Fleming through the thought experiment’s origins and evolution.

Previous Episode

Dangers to women: man vs bear

Women online are being asked: would you rather be stuck in a forest with a man or a bear?

Most are saying they’d choose the bear, saying that men are potentially more dangerous to them than the wild animal. Cue arguments on social media about just how dangerous to women men are. Where did the meme come from? What can crime stats tell us about gender and violence, including sexual violence? And how has the way our society views violence between men and women developed over time?

Presenter: Adam Fleming Producers: Simon Maybin, Simon Tulett, Ellie House, Jay Gardner Editor: Richard Vadon

Next Episode

Discipline in schools

A photo of a school corridor, showing three posters describing a particular teaching ethos, has started a debate about the right level of discipline in classrooms.

Some suggest the instructions, which include ‘sit up’, ‘eye contact’ and ‘smile’, are indicative of a super-strict approach some schools have taken, which might be distressing for children, especially those with special needs. We find out where this approach came from, and hear about the American educator who popularised the all-important acronym ‘SLANT.’

Supporters of the approach say strict discipline is essential for learning, and that it generates better outcomes. What evidence is there to back this up?

Presenter: Adam Fleming Producers: Simon Tulett, Simon Maybin, Ellie House, Jay Gardner Editor: Richard Vadon