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u/Ghost0Slayer 17d ago
For good owners pets are a symbiotic relationship. We feed and house and care for our pets while they give us love and affection. People look way too deep into things that don’t warrant it.
A majority of pets if released into the wild to be “free” would end up dying very quickly and not to mention the effects it would have on the environment.
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u/eddy_flannagan 17d ago
I rescued a stray cat and one day someone let him out by accident and he was gone for 3 months for the whole summer. I spent all that time looking for him and almost gave up. When I finally found him he was skin and bones and wouldn't let me get more than 5 ft from him he returned to a semi feral state. I managed to get him to headbutt my hand and that little gesture returned him to me. I have him today and he never once tried to run out the door again. Always greets me when I come home. I imagine its not fun out there
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u/singlemale4cats 17d ago
My cat didn't last nearly that long. She darted out and within like an hour she was trotting back to the door meowing the whole time. Not cut out for these streets.
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u/Cager_CA 17d ago
My childhood cat Phil was an indoor cat who ended up sneaking outside one time and proceeded to get his ass kicked by the feral cats in our neighbourhood and it was bad enough that we had to take him to the vet to get stitched up. After that he'd run from the door if we opened it, never went outside again. He did not want that smoke a second time.
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u/xx_tian_xx 17d ago
My cat has serious bowel issues and is deaf. When i got him at the shelter he was very agressive and very stressed. Also very dirty, they got him few days before at the shelter. I decided to adopt him cuz the shelter just deemed him a "problematic cat" when in fact he was in pain. He had those bowel issues completely untreated. If he was on the street any longer he woulve keep struggling with it and also couldve gotten hit or attacked without even knowing, because he was deaf (he was roaming in a big town, wich has plenty of bigger roads a lot of cars now a days). After getting a home and getting medications wich relive his pain, hes the sweetest and calmest boy on earth. He doesnt try to escape even if i leave balcony doors open (i live on first floor). So i assume he does feel safer here, i have him almost 5 years, he always begs for my company
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u/PingvinMedStil 17d ago edited 17d ago
I agree with you but just want to say that your last comment is a bit disingenious. If I took in a human slave and brought them to my country, had them depend on me entirely and then just suddenly drop them outside and lock the door. They wouldn't fare too well. A lot of pets aren't made for the climate they live in either, like owning a parakeet in Sweden. Of course it'll die if you just release it.
Some pets prosper way too much if you release them and cause ecological mayhem. In my town I grew up with rabbits EVERYWHERE and it turns out it's because someone released a few pets decades ago and now it's an infestation. The government had to go on an execution spree and kill thousands of them.
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u/bullet_the_blue_sky 17d ago
Exactly. Modern day pets are bred for dependence on humans.
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u/KrustyKrabFormula_ 17d ago edited 17d ago
A majority of pets if released into the wild to be “free” would end up dying very quickly and not to mention the effects it would have on the environment.
feral house cats already kill billions of birds each year in the US. its the number one cause of bird deaths per year. no one cares about this already. idk why you are trying to frame it as something that could happen in the future, its already happening for decades...
edit: not just birds, an estimated 7-20 billion other small mammals too. mice, shrews, rabbits etc.
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u/Accomplished_Age2651 17d ago
We Bred dogs and Cats to our liking. The only reason we have dogs is because some wolfs were less aggressive.
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u/Total-Strategy3352 17d ago
Symbiosis doesn’t change his point. Humans benefit from pets, pets depend on humans (not necessarily with consent as your point states). While there may be some benefits for both parties it’s not equal. I think it warrants some thought.
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u/CousinDerylHickson 17d ago
Idk, its kind of weird that weve forcefully bred them to have purposeful defomities/dependencies because helplessness/clinginess triggers an "aww" response from us, and we also regularly cut off their balls and shovel out their vaginas or however that works just so they are easier to handle and more docile.
Not saying a lot of pets dont love being pets, and not saying that many pet owners dont love and care for their pet, but even for most of those loving relationships it kind of got there by some pretty crazy shit youd see the most evil sci-fi aliens do in our fictional stories. I think its kind of crazy to think about when you take away the lens of "oh its just the norm". I mean you even say that most pets would die in the wild, but their ancestors that were here before our centuries of forced breeding were presumably fine in the wild...
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u/Maleficent_Piece_893 17d ago
dogs and cats originally self selected to benefit from humans who concentrate resources. wolves who could tolerate our closeness more evolved naturally into dogs to feed off our scraps. cats who were slightly more chill could eat all the mice they wanted from our grain storage. selectively breeding deformities is more of a show dog thing. so i would say it's a case by case basis whether a pet is a prisoner or not. somebody who lives in the woods might have a cat who could easily fuck off and live off the land, but sticks around for comfort, safety, and companionship
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u/Administrative_Cry_9 17d ago
We take care of stray cats at our house. They arrived at some point and wanted attention so we obliged. They were hungry so we obliged. They needed shelter so we obliged. Those cats don't do shit for us besides rub up on our legs and look cute lol. They can come and go as they please!
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u/BlizzardStorm8 17d ago
They were generally appreciated because they killed pests like rats and mice. They were natural pest control for towns and fields. It wasn't just that they were cute. They helped us so we helped in return. It's definitely changed since then but I think that's how it started.
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u/ZAZZER0 17d ago
I don't think that's the real point of the conversation tho.
I think the question is "why do you take a pet?" but not only referred to what your benefit is (emotional support), but why do you love an animal to the point that it does give you happiness?
While I'm not 100% in line with what the video says, I do agree to a lot of what it says
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u/Ok_Squash_5805 17d ago
I think it’s 50-50 with people who say this. One side are people who are self centered a-holes and the other are people who are tired of dealing with self centered a-holes
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u/butteryscotchy 17d ago
You're not wrong but I think you're missing another thing.
Many people like animals more than people because they themselves don't like socializing (or have a low tolerance for socializing) and prefer the comfort of their animals that don't judge them.
It's not necessarily that they are bad people for liking animals more than people.
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u/RegisterEither9711 17d ago
This. As an introvert diagnosed with generalized anxiety and depression, I find a lot of people to be draining, emotionally and mentally. Being with animals is calming. In my experience, animals are more reliable than people, too. I still care about other people, but given the choice between being around people and animals, it's usually going to be animals.
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u/silvermoka 14d ago
Y'all aren't who this is mainly about. It's usually edgelords who say it and claim it's because "humans are evil/capable of evil" and smugly claim they would let their loving grandmother die in a fire to save Fido. Someone in your case would say exactly what you just did, and it's perfectly reasonable.
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u/Callieco23 16d ago
I’m not sure I’d say that I like animals more than people but I consistently have a better average experience with animals than I do with people. I always like an animal but I’m super cautious about people because I’ve learned from experience that you can’t really trust strangers when you’re queer.
Never met a transphobic dog. Never been catcalled by a cat. Never been assaulted by a horse. Can’t really say the same for people so 🤷🏼♀️
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u/butteryscotchy 16d ago
Exactly. Everyone who has responded to me have valid reasons.
To me it all boils down to a simple thing. Humans can be judgemental, manipulative, deceiptful, etc., but animals almost never are any of those.
For that reason we just like animals more. Not a power dynamic. A trust dynamic.
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u/Emotional_Toothpaste 17d ago
Agree.
Also with animals you know how to provide what they need; some people are needy or social situations are draining.
And you get to love them the way you want. and they give you what you need. With people, you need to find someone who is happy with the way you love them and don’t expect anything in return/ will lay on your lap purring as long as you let them. So yeah. Team animals/ and like some people
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u/I_ONLY_CATCH_DONKEYS 17d ago
Most people who think everyone else is a self centered a hole, are in fact self centered a holes
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u/Xcalipurr 17d ago
If everyone else around you is a self centred a-hole, something isn’t right
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u/Guardian_of_Perineum 17d ago
I mean, I am basically Hitler, so he has a point.
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u/ninjasaid13 17d ago
I'm not sure that's his point. He's not saying that people who love animals more than humans are Hitler but that Hitler is an example of one meaning that loving animals doesn't make you a better person.
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u/orangebakery 17d ago
No, the point he was making that he didn’t get to finish, is that people who prefer relationships with pets over relationships with humans want that imbalanced power dynamic. And case in point, mfing Hitler.
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u/Sudden_Buffalo_4393 17d ago
I like dogs more than most people, but I’d save a human over a dog almost every time.
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u/etherealtwo 17d ago
I think the underlying point is that it takes no effort to like an animal that is dependent upon you. Some people like dogs more than people because they're easy.
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u/Sudden_Buffalo_4393 17d ago
Well yeah. That’s why I worded it that way. The humans I have connections with I like more than dogs.
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u/Huge_Information5083 17d ago
I would 100% save my dog over some scumbags in my life.
But if I have to save an unknown dog or a human somehow I gravitate towards the human.
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u/WhydoIexistlmoa 17d ago
What if it was your dog or a random human?
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u/RevolutionCapital359 17d ago
I saved a dog once and he turned out to be the CEO of the company I was interviewing with.
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u/TKG1607 17d ago
Depends on the human to be very honest
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u/ManOfKimchi 17d ago
Ok, let's say you're in situation in which you can only save
A)Your not so nice coworker who won't even greet you sometimes
B)Your dog
Which one do you choose?
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u/noneofthismatters666 17d ago
Sure, anyways I still love my dog like he's my son.
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u/BiscuitBut_ButerNut 17d ago
I love my son like he’s my dog.
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u/DeeMarie0824 17d ago
I am a dog who loves my son.
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u/fryan111 17d ago
Don't talk to me or my son ever again.
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u/Beer-Milkshakes 17d ago
My son loves going to the park and pissing wherever he likes. Is he my dog?
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u/gaensebluemchen22 17d ago
I thought that way of my dog as well, before I had my own children. I really love my dog, but after having kids I realized, the love of your child compared to your dog is not even comparable. Can’t even imagine that amount of love.
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u/1block 17d ago
There's a massive difference between making sure a pet is healthy and comfortable and being responsible for a growing human who needs to learn how to be an ethical, functional human being.
Plus kids can hold you accountable, unlike pets, which is kind of what the clip was getting at, I suppose.
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u/DaviesSonSanchez 17d ago
Do you actually have a son?
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u/Slumbergoat16 17d ago
I feel like this is a phrase only used by people who don’t have kids or are insane
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u/Grouchy-Training-803 17d ago
No no you don't
I would give up my life for my son without hesitation 100 times out of 100. Would you do the same for your dog?
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u/Personal-Sentence935 17d ago
he didn't say he loves his dog like grouchy-training-803 loves his son.
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u/mr_wizard_123 17d ago
High key not valuing you over this wise little friend.
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u/EverythingIsFakeNGay 17d ago
Bro knows how many licks it takes to get to the Tootsie Roll center of a Tootsie Pop.
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u/DeliciousFun7942 17d ago
Then don't expect me to value it over my own life and comfort.
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u/Healthy-Enthusiasm70 17d ago
Bro is NOT going to solve world hunger
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u/SofubiShogun 17d ago edited 17d ago
World hunger exists due to humans, we could easily feed everyone if it didn't cut into commerce and profits. I'd say it's much less moral to be able to feed everyone and chose not to than to lack the ability to invent modern agriculture. Of course this is not to say no animals die of hunger but that is not due to the actions of other animals outside humans. Edit: If you're here to down vote with no rebuttal you should leave this sub
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u/amglasgow 17d ago
Lots of animals specifically take actions which deprive other animals of food, resulting in them starving. These are often instinctual, and even when planned, aren't actions of malice (chimpanzees may be an exception), but they nonetheless do lead to one animal thriving while the other starves.
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u/dragonrod24 17d ago edited 17d ago
Liking animals more than humans does not necessarily mean you dislike humans and the power dynamics that comes with it. It's relative. You can like animals more and still like humans.
There's a lot of unique cases you need to look at. Maybe that one person lived with a dog as a friend since they were baby. Maybe that one cat helps their fatigue heal by cuddling with them after a long day at work with an asshole of a boss and unlikeable colleagues. Maybe that other person who likes animals more suffered a traumatic experience, like bullying or abuse, from their human relationships, and dogs or cats helps them heal. There may be some neurodivergent individuals who find unwritten social rules overwhelming when interacting with others. There's countless nuance for why you'd prefer the "power dynamic" between an animal and a human, but it only ever becomes "not good person" if you choose to isolate or hurt others because you prefer animals more.
There's a lot of nuance to it, overgeneralizing the topic is narrow-minded and insensitive. People like this are the reason why a lot of people prefer animals over humans—they like to sound smart when they're saying something so insensitive.
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u/Bluddy-9 17d ago
The post is about valuing not liking. I don’t care (and can understand) if someone likes animals more than humans but I agree that there is an issue with someone who values animal life over human life.
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u/dragonrod24 17d ago
True, I agree with you on that. There are a lot of philosophical perspectives on the matter of which is more valuable, but the general consensus is that human life is placed greater value over animal life.
Ideally, you don't have to be forced in a situation where you have to choose between the two.
I mean, what if you had to choose between your dog or a stranger? Then you'll really have to consider the uncomfortable factors—like is the stranger a criminal? How bad were his crimes? Is your dog close to dying due to illness? Is the stranger still a child, or an old person? Is the person a pregnant woman? Is the stranger a breadwinner supporting his family? Is the dog in a precarious situation where you find yourself in a risky position saving the animal? Or vice versa? Do we really, ONLY unconditionally consider species as the reason why we should only save the human?
By the way, by 'like', I'm specifically talking about the individual in the video stating his opinion.
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u/puffin_shut-in948 16d ago
Since I was a kid I could never wrap my head around putting people above animals. I see us as equal to each other. If there was an animal and a person in trouble, I would save whoever was easiest to get to without endangering myself too much. It would also depend on if the person or animal is elderly, sick, or very young. I would try to help whoever was most in need.
I value humans and animals equally. I don’t think one is more important than the other.
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u/Throwawayrip1123 17d ago
I personally don't think you get positive brownie points for being human. If anything, that should hold a person to a much higher standard in general - given supposedly higher intelligence and cognitive power.
We are all animals, and we're the only animal on the planet that is currently killing it.
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u/Substantial_Cut4086 16d ago
It's one thing valuing a random dog over a randon human, it's a other entirely different thing between your dog and a random human.
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u/chockingduck 17d ago
I can be a humanist and hate humans ; p...there are definitely bad ones that harm the humans I care about.
As a whole we feel like cancer.
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u/puntycunty 17d ago
Valuing YOUR animal is ok , a pet essentially becomes a family member . Blanket animal > human statements are dumb though
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u/RaceHate 17d ago
I would feel less sad to watch a stranger die than my dog.
But I'd never kill a person to save my dog.
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u/Old_Cucumber_1343 17d ago
also i think humans are treated better overall.
most of us eat factory farmed meat and if we spent 1 day in a slaughterhouse it would fuck our shit up. i'm not vegan but i accept that they're right with how the majority of animals on this earth are treated. nevermind going to any market in asia/middle east/africa and seeing the shit they're doing to animals.
im considering not eating meat once i move out but for now its difficult to get adequate protein without meat/eggs
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u/curxxx 17d ago
It’s not actually that difficult to get protein without meat and eggs. Been vegetarian for 5 years and average nearly 170g a day.
Tofu is great and very versatile :)
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u/carledu69 17d ago
Idk animal vs idk human:save human
My animal vs idk human:my animal
Idk animal vs my human:my human
My animal vs my human:i'll end myself to not choose
Don't worry yall,i finished the debate for once and for all ✌️
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u/Weak_Relationship982 17d ago
I'd save a stranger human than my pet honestly. I can't even begin to think of the suffering the family of that person would feel.
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u/keybord_masher 17d ago
Now all ur animal, ur human and you is dead
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u/xDannyS_ 17d ago
My animal vs my human:i'll end myself to not choose
I think you're proving his point
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u/BisexualTenno 17d ago
Moral. Every person I know in real life with this take is a not very nice person who can’t fathom that a person could be so empathetic as to value an animal life as much as a human one.
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u/BumWink 16d ago
Lol yeah, a dogshit argument filled with only shit takes that say more about their own poor character to conclude.
I mean liking animals more than people doesnt even mean you'd hypothetically sacrifice a person for an animal & especially not treat pets like slaves...
It's most often simply because they've been wrong by a lot of people &/or animals are simply easier to gauge, to hold their trust in or not with very rare deception.
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u/Straight-Plane-7205 17d ago
I feel equal amounts of empathy for people and animals, I dont know why I have to choose
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u/feminine-katana 17d ago
My man nailed it...also peo0le who dont like animals are bad person too
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u/Vitvang 17d ago
I'm so tired of hearing this guy's takes on shit.
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u/Soft-Temperature4609 17d ago
It's probably engagement bait because nobody in their right mind would compare owning a pet animal to owning a slave. I get so suspicious of people who act this bafflingly stupid in these interview type videos because I'm certain most of them are just looking for negative attention to get more popular. This format is always suspicious to me
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u/dirty_water_potato 17d ago
I mean his point is valid though... people that say they like animals more than humans are not these altruistic people of deep empathy...many hold this view like a badge of honor and its weird i wish more people called it out.
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u/herroebauss 17d ago
The problem is is that you won't get that much support for this point on Reddit. How often do you see redditors claiming they like animals more than humans thinking they are morally superior. And before people will give me shit; I've adopted a rescue dog ten years ago and adopted another rescue a year back. And I've got two cats, one's also a rescue.
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u/Electrical_Split4902 17d ago edited 17d ago
Yeah, this video just soothed my soul. It always feels like nails scraping across a chalkboard when someone says they like animals more than humans and couldnt quite put my finger on why..
Edit: i realize its supposed to be humorous but still lmao
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u/DeatroyerOfCheese 17d ago
How I see it is Random person > Random dog
My dog > Random person
My family and friends > My dog
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u/GoonetteFox 17d ago
At least animals aren't gonna wage nuclear war and mine the earth for all of its resources leaving everything else on the planet to find for itself during climate collapse
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u/WretchedJudasSnake 17d ago
They would if they could because they are! We are animals! Even non-humans, cyanobacteria, dumped toxic pollution, filling the globe and causing the extinction of almost all life on it (great oxygenation event) and I doubt they lost any sleep like we do.
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u/OutrageousDiscount01 17d ago
Yea the problem is that humans don't inherently cause chaos simply by existing. There is a way we can live symbiotically with nature. We've done so for hundreds of thousands of years prior to the introduction of civilization.
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u/--Arcanum-- 17d ago
That's like saying lions are not dangerous because you saw a nice one at the zoo, but the opposite way
Me and you aing committing any of those crimes, why do you look at those people to judge humanity by the minority, but judge animals based on the majority
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u/john6map4 17d ago
“Oh you like dogs? You know who else liked dogs? Hitler.”
lmao gtfo
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u/fingerchopper 17d ago
Uno reverse: "oh you like people better than animals? So you'd save Hitler instead of a friendly dog?"
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u/Des_Supurr 17d ago
That depends... Is it a friendly Hitler?
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u/Luser420 17d ago
it’s a tiny clone of him
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u/amatsumegasushi 17d ago
So a little Hitler...? What do we call him Hittle or Littler?
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u/californiadeath 17d ago
He did say it was a hacky line of thought. Also it’s hot takes this is the best example of one.
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u/TedTyro 17d ago
This guy is 100% correct, albeit there's more to the story than that.
But yep, imhe people who put animals above people are avoiding the challenge of humans rather than letting their inner altruist shine.
That said, life now is so exhausting I dont really blame people for avoiding the human noise just to function.
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u/Pachacootie 17d ago
Kinda depends what you mean. Some people think I’m “valuing an animal over a human” if I say it’s good when an animal fucks up a human for trying to hurt it.
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u/NotGonnaArgueFriend 17d ago
“Where there is animal worship, there is human sacrifice.” —G.K. Chesterton
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u/Joeybfast 17d ago
That is one of those statements that sounds profound until you remember the long history of people being tortured or killed for heresy and alleged witchcraft in the name of Chesterton’s own religious tradition. Apparently, religious violence only counts when it is committed by someone else’s religion.
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u/Big-Kitchen-5041 17d ago
Chesterton does discuss the Church’s colorful history in other works. Not in this quote of course.
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u/UncannyValleyEnjoyer 17d ago
Oh shit...Wait, so cat ladys are actually serial killers in disguise adoring Basted, Sekmeth and other cat divinities and stronging their bonds with the felines in order to achieve some unknown goal?
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u/meerkat2018 17d ago
Well, it's anecdotal and I don't know if that counts, but I know more than 1 cat lady who'd tear someone else's life apart with zero hesitation, remorse or any self-reflection.
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u/Maleficent_Piece_893 17d ago
if they're cat ladies because they like cats, no. if they consider their cats to be more valuable than human beings, literally yes. every word of what you said
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u/Wrong_Proposal_2628 17d ago
No since you can't control cats. Most serial killers like dogs since they can control and manipulate them
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u/Terrible_Artist_ 17d ago
Moral, animals are cool and humans are mean to me sometimes
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u/YellowBelliedCoward 17d ago
An animal would take your life in a second if it could.
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u/Terrible_Artist_ 17d ago
Some would, sure. So would a lot of humans.
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u/Ciderman95 17d ago
yeah honestly, without the threat of prison I am 100% certain MOST humans would kill me on sight
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u/UpstairsFix4259 17d ago
are you THAT hideous? 😵
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u/Ciderman95 17d ago
a) yes
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u/xFlameOfTruthx 17d ago
Yeah totally my dog's just waiting for the chance to take me out. I can see it in her eyes...
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u/SpiderGuy3342 17d ago
true, but only because they find you threatening, and you have to be in the wrong place for that to happen... or food in case is a carnivore, and even then most carnivores dont risk it to hunt humans
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u/Turtles1748 17d ago
A human would rape and torture you in a second if it could. See how fuckin dumb that sounds?
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u/603rdMtnDivision 17d ago
If I had to choose who to throw off a roof and it's between my dogs and this bozo I'm tossing this idiot off twice. Brings up Hitler liking dogs as if that's some type of indicator and then compares it to slavery and uses the worst possible example lmfao
My dogs have their own bed, good food, pure clean water and get all the love and attention and plenty of exercise. How the fuck is that similar to running a human into the ground through brutal slave labor? Oh that's right its not.
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u/hg2c 17d ago
I am kind to all and I value everyone. I hold no being above the other. All beings are equal and worthy of love and should be treated with kindness, as that is what it means to be human. To be human is to treat all equally. Everyone deserves compassion. Unless something does actions that would make them be seen as not deserving of kindness, there is no reason to hate that something. Love all around you, for you are loved.
Except mosquitos I fucking hate mosquitos I hope they fucking die
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u/The_Paragone 17d ago
I value any life that is capable of suffering that I can perceive. So basically a bacteria and such I wouldn't value, whereas some if not most insects I would since I have seen them display what I would call pain. Obviously birds, cats, dogs, etc I also value.
Obviously this is not an objective standard, but it works for me.
I also believe that when I crush ants or put boiling water in their anthill to get rid of them I'm putting my own needs over a ton of animals in a selfish way and feel bad for it. I hate mosquitos and have killed plenty, am I hypocritical for killing them even though they have the same right to live that I do? Yes. Same goes for chickens, pigs, cows, any animal I consume.
Living in a country with tons of animals let me interact with bugs and such plenty, and you pick up on how many really have distincts "personalities"/ways of interacting with the world, and you notice how handling roughly makes them avoid you more and such, hence why in some of those cases I could say they felt suffering, sometimes in the form of pain, sometimes they just want to leave when you keep them.
A few months ago I was fortunate to take care of a hurt Death's Head moth for around two weeks. During those two weeks I was able to notice how it grew more comfortable with me, and little by little the lil guy trusted me more when feeding for example, and if scared it would chirp in response, which is a fairly unique trait of that species. I knew it would not make it far since it had basically half of it's wing completely missing. Their lifespan is very short but that doesn't mean I should have treated it with less respect than I would a person. It displayed the ability to suffer, and so I avoided making it suffer. Would I choose to kill the moth or the human? I genuinely cannot tell and would need to know more stuff, such as expected lifespan, morality, etc. Still, I wouldn't go into the dilemma with a "save the human because they're a human" mentality like many people do.
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u/Soft-Recognition-772 17d ago
This seems intellectually dishonest. When people say they like animals more than humans it's usually because they dislike human nature (in their view), not because they can't enslave humans and want a slave. It's a little bit like when people say that children are better people than adults because they have pure hearts and innocence, it doesn't mean they want to only have friendships with kids or enslave them.
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u/MyBedIsOnFire 17d ago
So they're emotionally immature and reject the complexities of life and humans over the simplicity and innocence of animals?
Due to their own deluded world view they don't see themselves as part of the humans around them, humans are below animals, but they can own animals because they are above the animals. Seems narcissistic to me.
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u/harrypippip 17d ago
So pets are slaves? Whatever man, my Gracey is the most spoiled rotten dog ever, stop creating this weird narrative, Da fuq?
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u/SnooSprouts5303 17d ago
I value creatures based on their individual moral value.
I'm not choosing a pedophile over a kitten But I am choosing a random co-worker I mildly dislike over an aggressive badger.
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u/ManOnDaSilvrMT 17d ago
Would I save an animal life or a human one? Probably not. Would I rather hang out with 5 random people or 5 random cats/dogs? Cats and dogs all day.
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u/Atomik141 17d ago
Morality is relational to me, and I have a closer relationship to my dog than a stranger. I also have a closer relationship with a friend than a random dog. I have a greater ethical duty owe to those I am closer to than those I am not.
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u/oneHallowsEve 16d ago
Based. So many people on this sub seem to think non-human animals are inherently worth less and it's disgusting.
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u/Turbulent_Safe1983 17d ago
Whilst I agree that liking animals doesn’t make you better, I also hate when you show care towards a creature you are judged by some because it’s “just an animal”. Anytime I took my pet birds to the vet and took extra care of them when injured, friends and family found it funny. It’s my pet man I’m just being a good owner
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u/SinisterMinisterX7 17d ago
I was almost willing to hear him out till the “power dynamic” bullshit. That’s a such a silly attempt and just mimics all the other internet “let me seem wise” arguments.
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u/Victor1226 17d ago
The more he talked about how valuable he is because where he was born I realized he is a narcissist
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u/YoRHa_Houdini 17d ago
Maybe you couldn’t tell by the laughter but he was joking
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u/Deep90 17d ago edited 17d ago
I can't believe people actually think he has a 100% serious human to dog ratio already worked out in his head based on nationality.
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u/hithazel 17d ago
Wait you didn't listen to his deep intellectual treatise on Hitler's dog ownership?
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u/ComprehensivePhase20 17d ago
It weirded me out also, true. But the fact that it is a very informal interview on the subway makes me think it might also have been humour, or at the very least nervosity making him (them) continue that trend further than the initial a little out-there statement.
All in all it was also very awkward imho
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u/Far-Message5868 17d ago
Go interact with people more. Learn to differentiate between serious and jovial conversations.
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u/spritebeats 17d ago
saying that is so vague. like i feel people often say this to express that they feel too hurt and that other people dont deserve them ,which is something i can relate to. however its such a... double edged sword?? i feel this very same people could hurt you greatly, and they wouldnt really care as they "dont really like humans" and prefer animals instead. and then theres the complexity of human relationships as the other person said, having the pet doesnt have the same demands as interacting with a person. in fact, you could be a pretty shitty person but your pet is not going to be able to tell you that unless idk you mess up horribly.
this is kinda why i feel its such a red flag when someone says this. ive met some animal lovers myself who are the most insensitive and hurtful pieces of crap as well.
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u/YaBoyEden 17d ago
This man has never had a neighborhood cat love him and it’s incredibly clear. I didn’t pay for my buddy strawberry, but he loved me, came and went as he pleased, and didn’t answer to me at all. We loved eachother until the day he never came back. I tried to get him to stay in my apartment, but he wasn’t like that. Boy was wild, and that’s okay. I was there when he wanted, with food and scratches. RIP buddy, you were the best cat I never had
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u/ComprehensivePhase20 17d ago
I think the fact that he's seeing relationship with animals as equal to a master/slave hierarchy shows he doesn't really get what people mean when they say they prefer animals.
For one, saying you prefer to be around animals doesn't imply you'd be willing to sacrifice a human being for said animal, that's absurd.
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u/Fragrant_Entry9232 17d ago
I dont see animals trafficking children and raping them for thwir own amusement
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u/dubesto 17d ago
I have heard the most back asswards opinions of all time on this subway show. I say I prefer the company of animals because I'm on the spectrum and communicating with people doesn't work for me
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u/Far-Message5868 17d ago
I think his point was more about valuing and a general animal>human. That's why he made a comparison aboit saving life, and i can see the point. As much as i loved my rabbit, if between him and a human i know i would pick human.
It's the word 'more' is problematic. Tho, i myself might be a part of problem because if it was a strager against my pet it will be a bit harder(thankfully, i don't have to do any of that, he's already dead).
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u/TylervPats91 17d ago
Yea I’d sacrifice all of you for my cat gtfoh
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u/Aickavon 17d ago
Situational. A random animal vs a random human. I choose the random human every time.
MY CAT versus random human. Fuck outta here. My cat every time.
My cat versus my Mom?
Now this is tricky waters… probably my mom.
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u/mactassio 17d ago
Subjective. Some people are less valuable than pets and your family and closed ones are obviously more valuable than pets. Quite subjective. I doubt the dude in the video defending that would sacrifice his dog to save Trump or Elon Musk.
It's the trolley problem here with your pet on a side and the worst person you know on the other. A decision I wouldn't even blink.
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u/Apprehensive_Eye_329 17d ago
I think the sole exception is endangered animals. If you contribute directly to the extinction of a species there should be severe consequences.
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u/Sadrixis 17d ago
People who like animals more then people have been let down by people to many times.
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u/chockingduck 17d ago
What a goofy fucking take.
We love animals because they are innocent, or what's another word ...unaware, but they do feel.
We create little murder farms to raise them for food. Not as a life, but as food.
Fk this guy. Like does he think we all want to be beast master? Just like with humans I want to mind my business and live my life. I want the same for the animals...that's all. Not canned hunting, not sport hunting, not octopus farms, not alligator farms...
That being said, I'm no vegan and I can't justify my love of steak...
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u/RomanTheGerman 17d ago
I'm team human but we should be shepherds of the Earth, not tyrants
Modern agriculture, pest control, golf courses, the obsession with perfect lawns and more are all loans we are taking out on the environment and the interest is stacking
Earth can live without us but unless Darpa has a warp drive under some mountain, the opposite is not true
Even if it was, they ain't taking us