Shocking responses to the viral 'man or bear?' question shows how 'safe' women feel

Social media often bustles with viral trends that stir fierce debates among users. Recently, one such trend has sparked a discussion on women's perception of men. Earlier in April, a popular news and entertainment handle on TikTok, Screenshot, shared a video where they interviewed random women on the streets asking, "Would you rather be stuck in a forest with a man or a bear?" The video became the talk of the town, as most women chose to be stuck with "a bear," gaining nearly 17 million views in less than a month.

Out of the 8 women interviewed in this video, 7 would rather be stuck with a bear, while one woman chose a man. One of the main reasons women mentioned for choosing the wild animal was that men are scarier than the bear. One woman explained the bears did not attack us unless we mess with them, so it was better to be with a bear than an unpredictable man. Another woman added, "Depends on what man, but probably a bear." Though choosing a bear is a terrifying option, women felt it was safer than being with an unknown man.

Many others in the comments shared the same opinion, with a few criticizing this viral trend. "I'm terrified of bears. I had a fear of bears from my childhood. They scare me to my soul. And I'd still choose a bear," said @sk8tr_sht. "Man here, and I'd also rather be stuck in the forest with a bear. Humans are unpredictable. I know the bear will attack eventually, so I'll never trust it. A human might gain my trust and then attack," noted @user034748786. "Without hesitation, a bear. It will eat me, but it's much better than what the man would do," added @seildraggoncastl3. 

Calling the women's response ridiculous, many pointed out that those who chose the bear were being "misandrist." However, Cece—who goes by @dontceceme on TikTok—an artist and a feminist, emphasized some heart-wrenching responses explaining why women chose bear in her video, which garnered nearly 10 million times. "If I survive the bear attack, I don't have to see the bear at family reunions," she read. "The worst thing a bear can do is kill me" and "The bear sees me as a human being" were some of the responses highlighting how "safe" women feel with a man. Some comments like, "No one will say that I liked the bear attack," and "No one will talk about the bear's bright future" took a dig at how society justified the injustices that happened to women.

While many perceived this trend to be so spiteful against men, as a perfect comeback, a woman—who goes by @mlr843 on Tiktok—made a video asking her dad the same question. Her dad, a bear hunter at North Carolina's Bear Hunters Association, has encountered over a hundred bears in his life and was also attacked a few times. However, when asked if he would have his daughter be alone in the forest with a man or a bear, the dad immediately replied, "I take the bear." His reason was, "You'd have a better chance with the bear because men are evil."

Similarly, another dad's response when asked the "man or bear" question went viral with over 7 million views. Meredith Steele—who goes by @babiesofsteele on TikTok—asked her husband if he would have his daughter in the woods with a man or a bear, and the husband was perplexed. At first, he felt unsure and didn't like either option. The wife then asked, "What about a woman or a bear?" and he didn't think twice before answering, "Woman." After pondering a little, the girl-dad said, "I'm leaning towards the bear. Maybe it's a friendly bear." His wife then questioned, "What if it's a friendly man?" and the husband instantly cringed at it and said, "Oh! That's worse."

You can follow Screenshot (@screenshothq) on TikTok for more news, culture and entertainment content.