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I dated a girl once who was adopted. Her mother stayed at home and was on disability(she said it was her ankle, but I'm sure the extreme overweight didn't help). This left the mother detached from most work and social interaction, with limited mobility, and since the father often had to travel, the mother was lord of the kingdom(completely overprotective and controlling) most of the time. This is relevant, so bare with me.
They also had a dog, one of those little tiny ones. They referred to the dog as the girl's brother and called her the dog's sister. The mother had complete control over them both(at 22 her mom said she though us dating was splitting up the family so she broke up with me). The mother refused to allow anyone to object.
My point with all this is that I think that's the type of person who care's more about their pet. To this lady, her adopted child and pet were on equal grounds because she chose to bring them both into her world and as long as they obeyed, they were the greatest thing in creation. No other person could rival them. If either of them was ever disobedient, they were nothing to her(she threatened to disown her for us dating, and fyi, I was getting an accounting degree at the time, so not exactly a rebel here).
It ultimately comes down to people like to have control and like the things they can control. You'll typically find the people who care about their pets more than other people also have the smaller and easier to control animals. I don't think I've met many people who consider their great dane more important than another person, but with the little dogs, you hear it all the time.
I care more about animals than people, because animals aren't backstabbing, hypocritical, abusers and in general Moderator cut: language . Most humans only care about themselves, so truly, why should I care about them? I don't like kids. I put up with the ones in my life and lie lie lie about how cute and wonderful they are. In truth, I hate kids. I don't want to be near them. Period. Heck, I don't like most human beings. So yeah, I'd save my dog before I save anyone on this board. If it was between a loved one and my dog, I'd have to make a quick decision, but I'd still go for both. To me, that's like asking, do you save your mom or your dad first?
My dog got homecooked food for two years (and I hate cooking - he ate better than me). I moved closer to work so I could go home and take him out at lunch because he couldn't hold it that long anymore. When he had to wear diapers because he was having accidents, I paid a lot of money to make sure he was always dry, had good products, etc. In the end, he couldn't get up. I'd lift him up, help him walk, help him potty. He'd lie on my chest because it was the only way he could get a good night's rest. I did everything I possibly could to make his life the best it could be in the end. And I put him down humanely when it was time.
I'd do the same for my loved ones. So for all those that think, just because I love an animal more than a human means I'm sick and deranged, you're so wrong. I care more about my dogs because my dogs don't emotionally hurt me like many humans do because most humans aren't tolerant and definitely do not accept people who are "different". This thread alone proves my point. You put down people who love animals more, just because YOU don't get it. Nice judgement. It's no wonder people like animals better.
Imo, Pets cost more than kids sometimes. For example if your pets need their coat groomed or cut each visit is about $30-70 depending on size and type of service. While my kids usually get a cheap $8 cut per month.
As for food, my kids can eat human food which can be cheaper if you buy something like one whole chicken and feed like 2-3 kids for $5 while some dogs eat like these new frozen meals that cost $5-7 and bigger dogs each a lot more than kids.
So in theory, Pets can cost as much as kids in the short run if you choose to spoil them.
I've seen owners that spoil pets where:
- Dog only drinks a certain brand of spring water for 4-5 bottles a day.
- Some picky dogs/cats only eat certain pet food usually soft type that are pricey
Last I heard back a decade ago, it costs $150K to raise a child to the age of 18. That's not even including college. I don't know what it's like now, but with inflation, likely higher. Pets are expensive too, but on average, kids have got to be much more expensive.
If someone wants to do a COMPLETE breakdown of expenses, knock yourself out, but there are some things kids have that adults don't like health insurance, auto insurance, paying for (expensive) toys like video games, etc.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jerseygal4u
I am thinking about the idiotic story about the pitbull owner(and she was an activist for pitbulls at that) who had her throat ripped out by her own pitbulls.
What does her hubby do?
Why,he bury the dogs with his wife.
You do see this with people too. In fact, there have been countless movies, books, and otherwise stories where parents still support their children no matter what atrocities they've committed, from stealing, drug dealing, killing other innocent lives, and straight up betrayal.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jerseygal4u
I notice it is only certain ethnicities and cultures that treat animals better than humans.
There has to be a middle ground i suppose.
I do not want animals elevated over humans,but I DO NOT want to see the atrocities done to animals in some Asian cultures.
For ex,some Asian countries cook a half born duckling and eat it. NO NO NO
Well, then we can argue how the gazillion cows and chickens that get eaten later on anyways don't have it that good either. FTR, I'm a meat eater and I do enjoy chicken, beef, and pork.
It's because of the fact that roughly 70%-80% of the time, other people just flat out suck. There have times where other people took advantage of me, harassed me, tried to steal from me, etc. At least with dogs or any other animal you know where you stand, and honestly the dogs I have had in the past were the best and most loyal friends and family members I have ever had, which is more than I could say about anyone else.
I am thinking about the idiotic story about the pitbull owner(and she was an activist for pitbulls at that) who had her throat ripped out by her own pitbulls.
What does her hubby do?
Why,he bury the dogs with his wife.
I notice it is only certain ethnicities and cultures that treat animals better than humans.
There has to be a middle ground i suppose.
I do not want animals elevated over humans,but I DO NOT want to see the atrocities done to animals in some Asian cultures.
For ex,some Asian countries cook a half born duckling and eat it. NO NO NO
I think animal welfare as opposed to animal rights is a good middle ground. Animals are sentient beings but I don't think their inner life is nearly as rich as that of human beings, mostly because they lack language and what I call "deep reflection". Kindness towards animals should be practiced and acts of cruelty should be looked at contemptfully, but within reason. We shouldn't love our pets more than our friends nor should we throw people in prison for life for animal abuse.
Considering animals humans is not only a bad idea from the standpoint that it would erode human rights, it would actually work against the animals themselves in many cases. Being a loved pet is just about the best existence an animal can have but if animals are people presto, owning a pet becomes slavery.
I don't think it's a great mystery, I think that many people recognize that animals are for most part helpless when it comes to human beings - they also lack guile. Sympathy for the underdog.
I notice this especially with people who love dogs.
I love cats and dogs but I think it's ridiculous to consider your pet your "son" or "daughter" or even to value their life above a stranger's. It's almost like bestiality!
A dog is not a child, period. They might love you but their internal life isn't nearly as complex nor are their demands for care nearly as pressing as a kid's. I read that 46 percent of woman and nearly as many men would save Fido over a strange human's life if it came down to it.
I support animal welfare and hate cruelty of any sort but isn't there something telling and disturbing about the fact animal abuse makes people demand the death penalty yet the same folk are so calloused to human suffering? Ray Lewis probably killed a person and nobody cares, while Michael Vick is hated more than Hitler.
If my cat died I'd be sadder than if a random stranger died but that's only because people die every day. I'd easily save any person before my cat if I had to choose, no questions asked. Even if they were a murderer or something.
I think it's easy to love animals because they can't criticize you and you can project your own feelings and values onto them and imagine they agree with you on everything. I also think it's become popular to be a misanthrope and if something bad happens to a person the cynic speaks out and said "Ah, they must have had some skeleton in their closet to deserve it anyway". While if a pitbull rips apart a child to shreds, it's always blamed on the owner of the dog or worse yet the parent of the victim for not accommodating the dog's needs by constantly watching their kid.
I think there's also something decadent about loving animals more than people. We have plenty of food in grocery stores but honestly if Moderator cut: Actual or implied inappropriate language really hit the fan I bet most people would eat their pets, as horrible as that sounds. Also rodents and other little creatures are cute until they start eating your food. I still get triggered from the time last year when I found three tiny little mice in my kitchen. I probably wouldn't bother trying to trap and release them if I found them due to disease fears, but luckily my cat is good at getting them.
I don't believe in any religion-based human exceptionalism being an atheist but I think science has shown that the only animals that even approach our level of sentience are the great apes.
Judgmental people are just one of the reasons I like animals more than people. Of course pets are not "human kids" (period!), but what difference does it make to you if some people refer to them as their "fur kids"? How does that affect your life?
To be honest, I can't tell you if I would save a murderer over my own pets. Oh, and by the way, I don't just like dogs, I like all animals. I have had dogs, cats, birds, guinea pigs, rabbits, fish, hamsters, rats, etc.
Animals do not judge. Animals do not hold grudges. Animals live in the moment. When an animal trusts you, it is unconditional. When an animal respects you, it says a lot about you, as a person. Animals don't argue, whine, carry on, or tell you what you should be doing, or how you should be thinking, or what you should be wearing, or how you should be talking, or any other shoulds that people like to throw out on to everyone else around them.
Frankly, and this is really going to get you riled up, I think animals are smarter than people. As each year passes, we learn more and more just how intelligent animals are...you know, what we used to call "dumb" animals? We're finding out, they aren't so dumb, after all.
Animals just are. There are no false appearances or pretenses, no lies, no dishonesty. They are what they are, they don't make excuses, they don't apologize for it, they don't expect you to be the exact same. They just are.
I care more about animals than people, because animals aren't backstabbing, hypocritical, abusers and in general Moderator cut: language . Most humans only care about themselves, so truly, why should I care about them? I don't like kids. I put up with the ones in my life and lie lie lie about how cute and wonderful they are. In truth, I hate kids. I don't want to be near them. Period. Heck, I don't like most human beings. So yeah, I'd save my dog before I save anyone on this board. If it was between a loved one and my dog, I'd have to make a quick decision, but I'd still go for both. To me, that's like asking, do you save your mom or your dad first?
My dog got homecooked food for two years (and I hate cooking - he ate better than me). I moved closer to work so I could go home and take him out at lunch because he couldn't hold it that long anymore. When he had to wear diapers because he was having accidents, I paid a lot of money to make sure he was always dry, had good products, etc. In the end, he couldn't get up. I'd lift him up, help him walk, help him potty. He'd lie on my chest because it was the only way he could get a good night's rest. I did everything I possibly could to make his life the best it could be in the end. And I put him down humanely when it was time.
I'd do the same for my loved ones. So for all those that think, just because I love an animal more than a human means I'm sick and deranged, you're so wrong. I care more about my dogs because my dogs don't emotionally hurt me like many humans do because most humans aren't tolerant and definitely do not accept people who are "different". This thread alone proves my point. You put down people who love animals more, just because YOU don't get it. Nice judgement. It's no wonder people like animals better.
This. Exactly this. Preach it.
What I have done for my pets - I've altered my life in some ways so that they can have the healthiest food, (raw diet, and yes, they eat better than me; it's my money, I will spend it how I see fit, and how I see fit is on their diet, and that is for the cats and the dogs), I moved in to a two story home so they could have more room, and climb, (they love to climb things), and I made sure that I picked a place with a huge backyard, (and I mean huge). I buy a season pass to the National Park for my dogs, not me. I drive to that National Park for my dogs, not me. That's money I spent on the pass, the gas for the car, and any car maintenance due to the driving. I even became a AAA member because I know I'm going to be driving to/from this National Park many times during the season...for them.
So. What.
Would I do all of that for some random person?
Absolutely not. And I wouldn't do all of that for most people I know, either. Here's what I've learned along the way in life:
I used to give more than I could. I genuinely wanted other people to feel good and not suffer anything. If they didn't have a bed, I bought them a bed, nevermind I was still using my twin bed from when I was a kid. If they didn't have something, I would buy it for them, (I'm not talking stupid things, I'm talking basics), and would just barely scrape by myself. I finally stopped when a friend told me that it was great that I was giving, but that didn't mean I had to outfit the world. And she has a point because do you know, not a single one of those people were grateful? Not a single one. Oh sure, some of them said "thank you", (many of them did not, but they sure took what I gave them), but they were not grateful for anything. I don't mean that they didn't send me accolades and put me on a pedestal, I didn't even want that. I mean it when I said I genuinely just wanted them to be happy and not suffer. When I say they were ungrateful, it's because of how they treated what they were given. In fact, it made them greedy. So, yeah, I've done that "helping people" thing before. I'm done with that.
I give my dogs a treat and they act like they won the lottery. Even the cats show gratitude. Every single one of my pets was dumped by a human being either in the middle of a busy road when they were young, or out in the wilderness to die. That doesn't help me like people a whole lot. Every single one of my pets is grateful. I don't have pets that have attitude. I don't have pets that don't show me affection every time I walk through the door, or sit on the couch, or go to bed. If I call their names, they come running, even the cats. If I get up to go to another room, they follow me. They appreciate what they have been given. I can't say the same for many humans I've encountered. Oh, and there's no strings attached. They get because I wanted to give. They give back, and they don't keep points, or bring up a year later what they did for me and say that I now "owe" them. They don't play the stupid games like humans do.
By the way, I wonder how many times some of these holier than thous have not answered the phone when they knew it was their mother calling. Let's not be hypocrites because I can start a thread asking why people care more about themselves than other humans.
Last edited by Three Wolves In Snow; 06-03-2014 at 05:02 AM..
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