Somy Ali Says Viral Penguin and Baby Monkey Stories Reflect Humanity’s Deep Emotional Hunger
Former actor and humanitarian Somy Ali who runs her NGO, No More Tears, has offered a deeply personal reflection on the viral stories of a lost penguin and an abandoned baby monkey, saying the images struck her not as “cute content,” but as mirrors of humanity’s unspoken emotional hunger.
“When I came across the story of the penguin making its way toward the mountains, and saw the video of a baby Japanese macaque (monkey) named Punch clinging to an orangutan stuffed toy after being abandoned by its mother, it deeply moved me — I felt that immediate ache in my chest that so many of us feel,” she said in a quoted statement.
Somy Ali believes the public reaction to these stories reveals something far deeper than momentary sympathy. “Why? Because we are not just watching animals. We are watching vulnerability. A penguin out of place. A baby monkey holding on to something soft because it has nothing else. Those images bypass intellect and go straight to instinct. They remind us of something primal: the need to belong. The need to be held. The need to feel safe.”
According to Somy Ali, these viral moments resonate because they reflect fundamental biological truths about attachment and connection. Yes, I feel these stories gently reflect our inner yearning for connection, affection, and a sense of belonging. When we see a baby monkey clutching a toy for comfort, we are witnessing attachment theory in its rawest form. Mammals, whether human or animal, are wired for connection. Touch regulates the nervous system. Presence regulates fear. Safety is not a luxury; it is biology.”
She noted that empathy flows more freely toward animals because they do not carry social expectations or ego. “We empathise with animals so freely because they don’t carry ego. There is no judgment when a baby animal needs comfort. No one calls it weak. No one says, ‘Be strong.’ No one says, ‘Move on.’ Yet when it comes to ourselves, especially as adults, we hesitate.”
“Love Is Oxygen”: Somy Ali on Vulnerability in Indian Culture
Somy pointed out that in cultures like India, emotional endurance is often valued over vulnerability. “In India especially, we are raised to be resilient. To endure. To not burden others with our emotional needs. Strength is admired. Sacrifice is glorified. But love is not weakness. It is oxygen.”
She emphasised that the need for connection evolves but never disappears. “From infancy to old age, the need for emotional connection does not disappear — it simply changes shape. A child needs physical proximity. A teenager needs validation. An adult needs partnership, friendship, understanding. An elder needs remembrance and relevance. Love is not a phase of life. It is something we require at every stage of life.”
Somy Ali also expressed concern over how radical independence is often celebrated in today’s world. “We applaud self-sufficiency. We celebrate ‘I don’t need anyone.’ We post about thriving alone. But biologically and psychologically, humans are not meant to thrive in isolation. Independence without connection can quietly become loneliness dressed as empowerment.”
Why Viral Animal Moments Trigger Collective Empathy
“When stories like the penguin or the abandoned monkey go viral, I don’t see just ‘cute content.’ I see millions of people reacting because something inside them whispers: ‘That’s me.’ The penguin out of place in the wrong terrain. The baby clinging to something soft because it cannot cling to its mother.”
She concluded with a message about emotional honesty and permission. “These stories echo a deeper truth — that somewhere along the way, an emotional void has quietly expanded. Not because we don’t have people around us, but because we are increasingly disconnected from authentic vulnerability. We scroll, we perform and we curate strength. But inside, many are still holding invisible stuffed toys — substitutes for real connection.
“If anything, these viral animal moments are gentle reminders that needing love is not childish. It is not dramatic, It’s not shameful. It is alive. And perhaps the reason they touch our hearts so deeply is because they give us permission — even if just for a second — to acknowledge our own need to be held, seen, and comforted. That is not weakness. That is being human.
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