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Pets give unconditional love and don't disagree with their owners. Animals have no opinions. They are pretty easy to get along with.
That's not true. I know for a fact that dogs disagree with their owners and don't just blindly follow. As for "opinions", that's probably because they lack the ability to communicate. A dog will simply not do something. I suppose that's their "opinion"
And not all animals are easy to get along with either. We forget that pets have personalities as well.
Really, someone touched on something here. Do we love animals because they "don't talk back", "give opinions", etc. etc. That's not a reason to love something, IMHO.
I don't delude myself thinking anything otherwise - my dog is a survivor. During his 9 years and in a variety of environments, including being out on the street, he has learned that if he does certain things with humans, he'll get the things he likes most - food, water, and attention. I'm sure he does think fondly of us, but I don't think it's "love" in the human sense. He'll "love" someone else if the opportunity presented itself and we were out of the picture. I'm pretty certain that he had a family before he found himself homeless and he's moved on. Dogs (and cats) are amazingly resilient. That's something that I marvel at.
I don't expect a pet to love me. I certainly hope they will tolerate me and even snuggle from time to time, but I don't have pets to cure loneliness or get love.
You shouldn’t want unconditional love. You shouldn’t fear being judged. In fact, there is no such thing as unconditional love. It’s a myth. Love is based on value, and should be earned. Wanting others to love you “unconditionally”, meaning just because you exist, is irrational. Even family should not be loved unconditionally once they are adults and are capable of earning their love.
And animals don’t “love” anyone. There is a survival attachment, and it is expressed as affection. All of which we can enjoy, but we should not raise or refer to that limited affection in the same way as human love. It’s just not in the same league. In fact, if you die or leave, and your pet gets a new owner, you will be forgotten in a few days, totally replaced by the new survival guarantor.
Animal “love” is a human mischaracterization. It’s anthropomorphic. It’s actually a pleasant escape from human interaction, which can sometimes be too much work. Which, within limits, is beneficial and fun. However, it can be taken to an unhealthy extreme. Hence the phenomenon of “cat” women who live alone and accumulate multiple felines and avoid human contact. Overindulging in pets is indicative of a psychological problem. It’s escapism, just like alcoholism, gambling, hoarding, astrology. Even religion.
I agree with this. Definitely a psychological problem.
Well, I disagree. Pets do love their owners. I have witnessed many instances of it. And I believe unconditional love does exist.. Are you saying that you would stop loving your children if they grew up and made bad choices, like using drugs?
It depends on the choices. A simple drug addiction would not be grounds for suspending love. That’s pretty obvious. But a child who chooses evil, like intentionally hurting others or acting with profligate immorality or becoming a terrorist or murderer? Yes, love should be replaced with contempt and hate at that point. You should not love your children, or anyone else, unconditionally, once they attain adulthood and the ability to choose between good and evil. Love should always be something that is earned, and has strings and conditions and expectations fully attached and actively enforced. Unconditional love is an evil concept.
As for pets, we routinely misinterpret their dependent affection as a form of love, simply because it’s a satisfying and pleasant fiction. It’s not love, which requires rational intelligence. But it is nice. It is a mirror of sorts, allowing us to enjoy the reflection of life, a reflection of ourselves. We get that in a sliding scale of amplitude all the way from plants to pets to acquaintances to friends to spouses. Ayn Rand remarked on this. On a deserted dead rocky island with only 2 living things present, we would desperately cling to a potted plant, doing anything possible to keep it alive. Why? It is a metaphysical reflection of our own being. It shares one primary attribute with us in this circumstance. It is alive. We would value its continuation quite intensely. Animals provide a much better reflection of ourselves as living creatures, hence their greater value to us. They actually look like us within limits, and are structurally similar. Obviously a much greater reflection would be contained in a human friend, and the pinnacle is achieved in a romantic partner.
For many people without fulfilling and dynamic human interactivity, pets become a primary in life rather than the more appropriate role of being an embellishment. This is not good for mental health, but it is a fairly common affliction, and beats more harmful escapes such as abuse of substances.
I know this may not be the case for a great many human beings, but I can't tell you how many times someone has said to me "I get along more with animals than I do other people".
One of my siblings likes to come over to see my cat more than they like to see me, for example (granted I don't even like me, so I sort of understand).
Is it conflict? Is it fear? What is it? Cats and dogs don't stab you in the back, or gossip about you? I know it seems like a silly topic, but to me it's kind of fascinating that fellow humans dislike their own humankind more than they do animals.
Pets have no hidden agendas and do not play mind games with you, their love is pure and real. All they ask for is a little food, water, and love, and they will be 100% loyal to you, and love you unconditionally.
I've been in numerous relationships over the years, and there is always some issue or drama. Not with pets. My cats love me, and I love them back.
dogs never hold a grudge you can holler at it one day and the next the dog is wagging his tail at you..
if you have a fight with a woman....she has the ability to recall every word a man spoke in a two yr time period ...and because she remembers and you don't...it seems to negate what she herself has said
Easy. Animals don't judge, aren't jerks, aren't abusive, etc... Need I say more???
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Pets have no hidden agendas and do not play mind games with you, their love is pure and real. All they ask for is a little food, water, and love, and they will be 100% loyal to you, and love you unconditionally.
I've been in numerous relationships over the years, and there is always some issue or drama. Not with pets. My cats love me, and I love them back.
But is it real when they don't have freewill or choice, and does it have much value?
Is it really unconditional if you are supplying all their needs and are they really 100% loyal or can't they be lured away by another human provider?
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