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To me a life is a life, they need to be respected the same. My dog is also more emotionally capable and more intelligent than some people. He understands a lot of words (most likely because I've been talking to him so much) and he also understands my emotions the best. He'll come up to me and put his head on my shoulder to give me a hug, he'll thank me for doing something for him by giving me a kiss.
He is also quite ill, with epilepsy, incontinence and a bladder infection that keeps coming back. His medication is costing me quite a bit. Yet I could never ever just end the life of my own dog. Never. The thought of doing that is....unimaginable. When he stops being his happy self, I will with a very heavy heart take him to the vet to get it done.
I'm not a hippie or even a vegetarian, but I do think even the lives of animals are as important as the lives of humans. I know it's not the popular view, ESPECIALLY here in Finland, where I also live
I agree that an animal's life should be respected just as much as a human's life, and they mostly are, by "sane" people. Since the hypothetical thought of choosing between a dog and a human, regarding of who gets to live and who gets to die, is really distant from a real situation. I wouldn't kill a dog just as I would not kill a human, unless either of them tries to eat me of course.
I get what you are saying, people can and do develop emotional connection with their pets and that is completely cool with me. I can accept that your pet understands what you are trying to say in some basic way, or they can even tell when you are happy or sad.
But I also agree with what eskiMoe says that, you can't compare the emotional connection that one can have with another human being, to the connection one has with their pet.
That doesn't mean of course that the connection you have with your dog is instantly "smaller" than the connection you have with a person you just met, or even with some of your friends. But the capabilities of people far surpass those of dogs, in both intelligence and emotional areas. The dumbest person in the world, is smarter than the smartest dog, even when we sometimes feel that this is not true.
But then I can't say that I don't understand why people connect with their pets more than they do with most people. It's funny because, having the Internet and Social Media has actually made it harder for people to really connect, mostly emotionally. I say funny, I mean ironic. Not like it was much different before the internet, but one would expect that the Internet would really make a difference. Apparently it doesn't make much of it.
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All depends what kind of human crossed your life path.. I really don't know what I could be able to do in a real moment of coice. But some times, when you take notice of some atrocities commited by some owners to their pets, I swear I really wish to have the magical power for inverting their live, and make the owner feel what his pet suffers.
Wouldn't they do similar things to other people? Maybe not in such magnitude but you know..
Some people are just too damaged I guess. I don't know.
It's weird because I think, people like that are genuinely nice to, let's say their neighbor. They do not pretend or desperately trying to hide their "true self". It's just that they lose control sometimes. And when they do it's just really bad. People might think to themselves "oh I am a bad guy", but I don't think that anyone believes it. There are always explanations for bad behavior.
There's that beggar/thief in TW1, he says, "Society made me who I am". Or something like that. I don't believe he's that far away from the truth, even if the line is nowadays mostly used as a comical relief.
oooh the burning building scenario. Would I rather save my dog or say...one of my neighbors from a burning building? Hmmm..thinking bout my neighbors....I honestly think I would rather save my dog than one of my neighbors. I honestly think I would save my dog over any random person, unless they were a child. Children are special and stuff. Wow I'm a horrible human.......I would ofcourse save one of my human family members lives over my dog tho. Except my dad, he's worthless.
I've said this before and I know some people find it irritating. Whatever.
I think the separation between humans and the OTHER animals only makes sense in certain contexts. For most practical purposes we are the same. And undoubtedly we ARE animals, that's simply our physical nature. Our religious beliefs might suggest otherwise but that's subjective.
Cognitively, yes humans are on a whole different level, but so are all apes compared to other species. We also tend to grossly underestimate other animals and their intelligence.
I think all forms of animal abuse are wrong, human or otherwise. There are exceptions to violent behavior, such as hunting for food and self defense.
Killing a dog or a human? If they're suffering, kill both. It's called euthanasia.
I don't think human life is inherently superior to other animal life. Especially that of other highly intelligent creatures. Humans, like some other apes, are deceitful and may act maliciously. I would rather save an unknown dog than a harmful human being. We are too many anyway.
I think the separation between humans and the OTHER animals only makes sense in certain contexts. For most practical purposes we are the same. And undoubtedly we ARE animals, that's simply our physical nature. Our religious beliefs might suggest otherwise but that's subjective.
Cognitively, yes humans are on a whole different level, but so are all apes compared to other species. We also tend to grossly underestimate other animals and their intelligence.
I think all forms of animal abuse are wrong, human or otherwise. There are exceptions to violent behavior, such as hunting for food and self defense.
Killing a dog or a human? If they're suffering, kill both. It's called euthanasia.
I don't think human life is inherently superior to other animal life. Especially that of other highly intelligent creatures. Humans, like some other apes, are deceitful and may act maliciously. I would rather save an unknown dog than a harmful human being. We are too many anyway.
I've never had to think of that one, fortunately, but there have been two occasions when I've had to think "Who to get out of the house first" when the danger was there, but not imminent - once when a house nearby caught fire, once in an earthquake.
An instant decision in both cases, but, I think, based on logic (I think I'd already gone through the mental process before it happened, when reading about Katrina).
Dog, then human, then cats. Dog first because it didn't have the sense to get out on its own, and may not have been able to escape if there had been a problem. The human had the intelligence to deal with it, but I needed to make sure everything was OK. The cats would have been harder to keep safe outside unless I also grabbed their carriers, and would be better able to escape on their own. With the earthquake, I never actually "rescued" the cats, they stayed in the house.
Well if you don't mind the slaughter and eating of animals that in fact means that they are not as important as humans. You contradict yourself.
And btw, I'm not saying that the lives of animals aren't important. I'm just saying they aren't as important.
I can honestly say that I prefer cows dead even though they probably can be intelligent and show emotion and whatnot. I just find more value in them in a form of medium-rare steak.
And don't get me started on mosquitoes..
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I totally agree here. Why is it that we are so cruel to force people to suffer just so they die on their own. While we don't hesitate to euthanaze a pet whenever their life is a living hell.
I know it's a contradiction. It works only so long as I don't have to see the animal suffering. I could never kill the cow or chicken myself. If I had to do that I think I would be a vegetarian. I like my ham and chicken and fish too. I'm just horrible aren't I? ._.
Nah. You're just being honest. I like honesty..
And I conser myself pretty awesome and I think you're even more so. ^^
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PC gaming sure is (among other things), expensive, dangerous and addicting.
Asked my boss today that I could end my shift a little earlier, then ran to the locker room to change clothes and after that proceeded to drive like a maniac to home so I could grab myself a mechanical keyboard from a very limited sale.
Managed to get one and now I'm all like:
That was close though. They sold out like 5 minutes later. Not to mention the grannies I almost ran over...
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So it was you, was it? I didn't get the plate number at the time.
And now you know why I'm still looking for a mechanical keyboard today.
(And I've never seen Kinley like that)
I agree that a life is a life and life is important, when through living it or giving it. People will obviously put priorities based on their opinions and feelings, but there is a very important thing to regard - despite the label we give ourselves of 'human' and the intelligence and abilities that have allowed us to dominate the planet, we are animals in the end as well. Given our 'sophistication' and 'being civilized', many humans have shown themselves to be far worse than animals in many regards.
That said, it is also a part of nature and life that many other animals consume many other animals. Do humans take it too far? Of course, but that's the only way to support 7 billion people in an 'economical' way.
Humanity is a beautiful and yet terrifying force....
As for who to save in the fire scenario....too many hypothetical factors running through my head to answer that one .
That said, it is also a part of nature and life that many other animals consume many other animals. Do humans take it too far? Of course, but that's the only way to support 7 billion people in an 'economical' way.
Humanity is a beautiful and yet terrifying force....
As for who to save in the fire scenario....too many hypothetical factors running through my head to answer that one .
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