Disgruntled Worker Bear Tops

Nothing tops my list of anthropomorphism more than the disgruntled worker bear. I didn't even know that I had such a soft spot for this creature until I found this shirt:


Now, I did procure this top from the MPLS resale shop Rewind Vintage , which Laurie has pointed out, is cheating on a thrifting blog, but it helps illustrate my point/love for the disgruntled worker bear while also demonstrating how I now have a collection of disgruntled worker bear tops.

Yesterday I reached new levels of exhilaration when I stumbled upon this t-shirt:


Imagine!

Not only does this shirt sport my favorite human-like animal, but it also takes a jab, not just at the doldrums of working, but at MONDAYS! And Garfield is nowhere in sight (though admittedly, I would jump at a chance for a "I hate Mondays" Garfield top...did anyone else have their mind blown when they realized that Garfield actually sleeps in a lasagna pan?!)!

These disgruntled worker bear shirts, however, raise more questions than they provide answers.

Who decided that a bear was the best personification for a blue collar factory workers (assembly and management)? Who originally purchased the shirts? Did they identify with the bears? Are the bears in the union? If so, which one and is it only for bears? Did the bears' pensions get cut when the company decided to outsource the factory work abroad?

So many questions, so few answers....