Happiful June 2020

What is cute
aggression?
Writing | Fiona Thomas Illustrating | Rosan Magar
Have you ever had the urge to pinch chubby-cheeked babies, or
squeeze adorable puppies? Don’t worry, it’s a completely natural
response, and here we’ll explain why...
Every time my friend
sends me a picture
of her baby, I feel my
shoulders tense up.
I’m not worried or
anxious, in fact I normally sport
a joyous grin as soon as I catch a
glimpse of his teeny smile, or his
boopable pink nose. But the rest of
my body has a physical reaction.
My knee-jerk response is to groan
loudly, grit my teeth, and throw my
phone across the room. Once I’ve
composed myself and fished my
phone out from under the sofa, I
almost always text back the same
reply: I CAN’T HANDLE IT. HE’S
TOO CUTE.
I can’t explain the mixture of
emotions. I love the little squishy
angel so much that I have to look
away. It’s like I’m worried I’ll
become hypnotised by the lone tuft
of wispy blonde hair on his head, or
by the innocence in his bright blue
eyes. The cuteness is just too much
for me to bear.
You’ve probably felt something
similar yourself, or witnessed it
in other people. Maybe you’ve
been reunited with a loved one,
so pleased to see them that
you’ve cried and
hugged them so
tight that it hurt.
Maybe you have
a dog-loving friend
who smooshes the
face of every puppy
she meets. Maybe
you’ve watched in
concern as your
granny squeals:
“I could just eat
him right up!” as
though it’s entirely
normal to want to
nibble on a baby’s
li’l toeseywoesies.
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