Moving Beyond Pigeon Spikes

A Reminder to Stop People-Pleasing and to Prioritize Your Own Comfort

As one of the creatures that has grown alongside humans as we have created cities and urbanization, pigeons are fascinating in how they have adapted. Over at Mesa Community College on Dobson and Southern, I saw this scene and laughed at first. You can clearly see that the school intended to keep the pigeons out, yet the bird succeeded in finding another space nearby.

This pigeon shows a lesson about finding a space that is comfortable for you. If this pigeon hadn’t moved on, it would never rest, always trying to figure out a way to sit amongst the spikes. Instead, it looked for somewhere more pigeon-friendly.

A lot of people get stressed when they have metaphorical spikes set up near them. They spend so much time trying to find a way to fit around them, maybe pretending the spikes don’t bother them. I’ve noticed how these people having trouble recognizing that there is usually a more favorable spot close by. Why do we do that?

Scientists generally agree that while pigeons have focused on survival by fleeing, while humans have thrived with cooperation. Pigeons have this instinct to move on when they are uncomfortable. People figure it out together and rely upon each other, so our instinct is to stay close and don’t rock the communal boat. There shouldn’t be any shame in acting in a way that has helped our species survive, but we also have something that pigeons don’t: the ability to reflect and the agency to actively choose what we want to do.

Perhaps it would help us to move on when our surroundings aren’t supportive? Maybe that isn’t always the case, but sometimes, it is. Compared to pigeons, we have the power to stop and consider our circumstances, what resources we have, and reflect upon what causes us distress. If what we have tried isn’t helping us feel more comfortable, perhaps we can practice widening our lens to see possibilities outside of what is immediately in front of us. We might just find a nice place to perch without spikes on it!