Okay, so I'm gonna wander out far on the limb here with this one. I often just sit and think about things and the why of them. I'm not saying I have answers or explanations just possibilities. In my honest opinion I believe that is what most of those psycho analytic people are doing as well. I just don't think you can really know what is in the mind of others. I form my own theories about why people do what they do. Of course those theories can only be based on my feelings and beliefs about things. So, here I go out on a limb with this observation that I don't really have a good explanation for.
I have noticed that in the last few years people have taken to very public display of, for lack of a better term, affection for their pets. What I mean is I see them calling them their " babies " and referring to themselves as " pet parents." They dress their pets up in little outfits and insist on taking them everywhere. They are " doting " on them like a grandparent on the first born ! There have been laws enacted and foundations formed to protect and nurture these animals. Many folks are treating their pets far better than they treat other people ! I can't help but wonder if these people are using their pets as a sort of surrogate human ? It's true you can train them to do your bidding, they seldom talk back and are generally affectionate. They do give unconditional love, if you believe an animal can " love " a human. I would call it loyalty, but it is a matter of semantics really. It just seems to me that a great deal of effort is being put into convincing others of their " compassion " towards animals as proof of their own humanity. The persons', not the animal. Why such effort to display, endorse, regulate and enforce the obvious ? I just don't get it.
So here I am out on the limb and I can feel it sinking below me. I can hear the accusations that I have no compassion. I don't understand, and all the other things people will say to justify this behavior. To those folks I can only say, I had a dog for fifteen years and he was a good and loyal dog. Yes I thought of him as a friend and companion. I guess the difference is I always knew he was a dog. I didn't try to dress him up as anything else. No, he didn't need to go to the parades, carnivals and other large social gatherings, as I don't think he would have cared about them anyway. I knew that other folks would be there and some folks don't want animals around, there prerogative. That is why I left him home. My feelings about my dog were just as strong as anyone's and I always figured that it was an obvious thing, no need to make a big display about it. I don't feel compelled to prove it to you or anyone else. It's my feeling that many of these folks doing these behaviors are doing so more because it is " trendy " than because of any genuine affection and concern.
And so there you have it. I walked out on that limb and I'm pretty sure I heard it crack. I'm taking the fall I guess. It is just I find all of this mildly amusing and a bit puzzling. Shame we couldn't get people as fired up about treating each other with the same respect and concern as they are insisting upon for their animals. Hey, to each their own I suppose. I just had to comment though.
I have noticed that in the last few years people have taken to very public display of, for lack of a better term, affection for their pets. What I mean is I see them calling them their " babies " and referring to themselves as " pet parents." They dress their pets up in little outfits and insist on taking them everywhere. They are " doting " on them like a grandparent on the first born ! There have been laws enacted and foundations formed to protect and nurture these animals. Many folks are treating their pets far better than they treat other people ! I can't help but wonder if these people are using their pets as a sort of surrogate human ? It's true you can train them to do your bidding, they seldom talk back and are generally affectionate. They do give unconditional love, if you believe an animal can " love " a human. I would call it loyalty, but it is a matter of semantics really. It just seems to me that a great deal of effort is being put into convincing others of their " compassion " towards animals as proof of their own humanity. The persons', not the animal. Why such effort to display, endorse, regulate and enforce the obvious ? I just don't get it.
So here I am out on the limb and I can feel it sinking below me. I can hear the accusations that I have no compassion. I don't understand, and all the other things people will say to justify this behavior. To those folks I can only say, I had a dog for fifteen years and he was a good and loyal dog. Yes I thought of him as a friend and companion. I guess the difference is I always knew he was a dog. I didn't try to dress him up as anything else. No, he didn't need to go to the parades, carnivals and other large social gatherings, as I don't think he would have cared about them anyway. I knew that other folks would be there and some folks don't want animals around, there prerogative. That is why I left him home. My feelings about my dog were just as strong as anyone's and I always figured that it was an obvious thing, no need to make a big display about it. I don't feel compelled to prove it to you or anyone else. It's my feeling that many of these folks doing these behaviors are doing so more because it is " trendy " than because of any genuine affection and concern.
And so there you have it. I walked out on that limb and I'm pretty sure I heard it crack. I'm taking the fall I guess. It is just I find all of this mildly amusing and a bit puzzling. Shame we couldn't get people as fired up about treating each other with the same respect and concern as they are insisting upon for their animals. Hey, to each their own I suppose. I just had to comment though.
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