5 ms·

I always find it interesting when people say "I love my dog/cat as much as people love their children!" This always prompts me to ask them "Would you die for y

I always find it interesting when people say "I love my dog/cat as much as people love their children!" This always prompts me to ask them "Would you die for your dog?", in which case the inevitable two second hesitation that follows and horror-struck look on their face answers my question. (Then again, there's a lot of people that wouldn't die for their kids either...) I think that people can certainly form emotional connections to pets (I like cats myself), but biologically, there's a special attachment to humans. I mean, there's regions of the brain dedicated to specifically differentiating between human faces.

boohoofoodoo 12y ago
To answer your question, yes! I would say with less reservation then most humans I know but I would not truly know until placed in a life threatening situation if I could follow through on my conviction.
- paxcoder 12y ago
  That's idiotic (though I'm sure you wouldn't follow through), but it explains the results in the article.
  - pessimizer 12y ago
    That people care about something that you can't relate to more than their own lives isn't a sign of stupidity, it's a sign of other people having different values than you.
    - paxcoder 12y ago
      A claim motivated by askew morality may be objectively and self-evidently wrong.
  - boohoofoodoo 12y ago
    Lack of intelligence and or sensibility has nothing to do with this, it is decision based on the relationship I share with my dogs, I am their 'pack leader', a bond created from their unconditional trust and love. Like any good relationship to survive, their needs to be a strong mutual commitment, in this case, they would unquestionable give their lives to protect their pack and myself. From the comfort of safe reflection, I truly believe I would do the same for them. Besides my immediate family and my dogs, I am not sure I can say I would make that sacrifice for anyone else.
    - paxcoder 12y ago
      You are equating your own worth to that of your animals, based on a role they've instinctly assigned to you. Forgive me, but I'd appreciate if you'd spare me any further explanations and attempts at justifications.
      - boohoofoodoo 12y ago
        Your grandiose sense of self-worth has retarded your capacity for understanding to such a degree that it compels you to criticise someone else's decision to sacrifice themselves for other beings they love, yes, even non human ones. Have you ever loved? But yes, I forgive you.
        paxcoder 12y ago
        Your unjust accusation of egotism still presupposes equal worth of humans and pets. This is wrong, regardless of your emotional attachment to yours. From a purely economical point of view, you may claim that things have only the value you ascribe to them. But I believe in intrinsic, objective worth. One man's teddy bear is another's broken toy. A person's life, however, is non-negotiable.
- pluma 12y ago
  To be fair, it's not as if every human would invariably do it in a real life threatening situation for another human (even if it's their child) either. Though they might be devoured by guilt later. It's really hard to give an honest answer to questions like this if you haven't actually been in the situation. We would like to think we would do what we want ourselves to do in those situations, but we simply don't know. If you want a reliable answer, you have to put people's houses on fire and observe how they behave. But I don't think you'll find a grant for putting hundreds of babies/pets in mortal danger to see how their parents/owners cope.
pyrocat 12y ago
You must be fun at parties
ANTSANTS 12y ago
That "horror-struck look" doesn't mean "I suddenly realized I don't love my pet as much as I would an actual human child." It means "what the fuck is wrong with this guy, and how can I stop talking to him as quickly as possible?"
- Xcelerate 12y ago
  Hmm... I hadn't thought of it that way. But I find it much more horrific that people are comparing loving animals to children. You don't agree? That's why my comment is made as a follow-up to theirs. I mean, we eat cows and pigs, and all sorts of other animals. What makes cats or dogs particularly special, other than being cuter and perhaps a little more social? It seems for these people arguing their animals are to be as revered as human beings are, they would also have to be vegan, which most are not.
  - ephemeralgomi 12y ago
    > You don't agree? No, I don't. You're searching for some total order ranking function where there isn't one. People love who they love and a lot of that is based on proximity and shared experience. I demonstrably care more about my dog than I do any random child in the third world, as demonstrated by the fact that I fed my dog this morning and I haven't donated to a feed-a-child-in-the-third-world charity today. By your logic, since humans rank higher than dogs, am I morally obligated to exhaust my financial resources helping needy humans before I can take care of my dog?
  - ANTSANTS 12y ago
    You're missing the point. If someone says they love their pet, you just don't ask that kind of question. It's like showing up at a church with a Dawkins book; who cares if you're "right," you still look like an asshole. Or, to be more obvious, it'd be like asking a happily married person if they really thought they picked the best person or if they just settled for the best they could get.
- CmonDev 12y ago
  More like: "What the fuck is wrong with this guy. He poses a complex ethical dilemma. It makes me think and thinking hurts my brain. I will better pretend he is some sort of creep."
sarah2079 12y ago
When people say their pets are like their children, I don't think they mean "like" as in "exactly identical to." They mean "like" as in their relationship with their pet fills a similar role in their life. I have had pets and I have a child. If you don't see similarity in these relationships (mainly for the parent-baby relationship, not so much for older children) I think you are taking statements like these MUCH TOO literally. Taking care of a baby was eerily similar to caring for a puppy for me. It's like someone tells you they are so hungry they could eat a horse, and then you say "Oh really? That would rupture your internal organs causing you a horribly painful death." You are taking something way too literally, and then replying with an unnecessarily morbid answer. The combination of these two is likely to make people wonder what the easiest way is to excuse themselves from the conversation.
- Xcelerate 12y ago
  Thank you for actually providing an explanation. I had always assumed people were being literal in how much they liked their pet. I didn't realize it was just a saying.
abandonliberty 12y ago
You just got some good thoughtful advice on the internet about social interaction. What is this world coming to?
pluma 12y ago
Depends on what you mean by "die". I would wager that a lot of pet owners who really love their pets would, for example, put themselves into mortal danger to save their pet. Typical example: the house is on fire, pet owner needs to leave or they'll die, but they try to find their pet.

boohoofoodoo 12y ago

To answer your question, yes! I would say with less reservation then most humans I know but I would not truly know until placed in a life threatening situation if I could follow through on my conviction.

paxcoder 12y ago
That's idiotic (though I'm sure you wouldn't follow through), but it explains the results in the article.
- pessimizer 12y ago
  That people care about something that you can't relate to more than their own lives isn't a sign of stupidity, it's a sign of other people having different values than you.
  - paxcoder 12y ago
    A claim motivated by askew morality may be objectively and self-evidently wrong.
- boohoofoodoo 12y ago
  Lack of intelligence and or sensibility has nothing to do with this, it is decision based on the relationship I share with my dogs, I am their 'pack leader', a bond created from their unconditional trust and love. Like any good relationship to survive, their needs to be a strong mutual commitment, in this case, they would unquestionable give their lives to protect their pack and myself. From the comfort of safe reflection, I truly believe I would do the same for them. Besides my immediate family and my dogs, I am not sure I can say I would make that sacrifice for anyone else.
  - paxcoder 12y ago
    You are equating your own worth to that of your animals, based on a role they've instinctly assigned to you. Forgive me, but I'd appreciate if you'd spare me any further explanations and attempts at justifications.
    - boohoofoodoo 12y ago
      Your grandiose sense of self-worth has retarded your capacity for understanding to such a degree that it compels you to criticise someone else's decision to sacrifice themselves for other beings they love, yes, even non human ones. Have you ever loved? But yes, I forgive you.
      - paxcoder 12y ago
        Your unjust accusation of egotism still presupposes equal worth of humans and pets. This is wrong, regardless of your emotional attachment to yours. From a purely economical point of view, you may claim that things have only the value you ascribe to them. But I believe in intrinsic, objective worth. One man's teddy bear is another's broken toy. A person's life, however, is non-negotiable.
pluma 12y ago
To be fair, it's not as if every human would invariably do it in a real life threatening situation for another human (even if it's their child) either. Though they might be devoured by guilt later. It's really hard to give an honest answer to questions like this if you haven't actually been in the situation. We would like to think we would do what we want ourselves to do in those situations, but we simply don't know. If you want a reliable answer, you have to put people's houses on fire and observe how they behave. But I don't think you'll find a grant for putting hundreds of babies/pets in mortal danger to see how their parents/owners cope.

pyrocat 12y ago

You must be fun at parties

ANTSANTS 12y ago

That "horror-struck look" doesn't mean "I suddenly realized I don't love my pet as much as I would an actual human child." It means "what the fuck is wrong with this guy, and how can I stop talking to him as quickly as possible?"

Xcelerate 12y ago
Hmm... I hadn't thought of it that way. But I find it much more horrific that people are comparing loving animals to children. You don't agree? That's why my comment is made as a follow-up to theirs. I mean, we eat cows and pigs, and all sorts of other animals. What makes cats or dogs particularly special, other than being cuter and perhaps a little more social? It seems for these people arguing their animals are to be as revered as human beings are, they would also have to be vegan, which most are not.
- ephemeralgomi 12y ago
  > You don't agree? No, I don't. You're searching for some total order ranking function where there isn't one. People love who they love and a lot of that is based on proximity and shared experience. I demonstrably care more about my dog than I do any random child in the third world, as demonstrated by the fact that I fed my dog this morning and I haven't donated to a feed-a-child-in-the-third-world charity today. By your logic, since humans rank higher than dogs, am I morally obligated to exhaust my financial resources helping needy humans before I can take care of my dog?
- ANTSANTS 12y ago
  You're missing the point. If someone says they love their pet, you just don't ask that kind of question. It's like showing up at a church with a Dawkins book; who cares if you're "right," you still look like an asshole. Or, to be more obvious, it'd be like asking a happily married person if they really thought they picked the best person or if they just settled for the best they could get.
CmonDev 12y ago
More like: "What the fuck is wrong with this guy. He poses a complex ethical dilemma. It makes me think and thinking hurts my brain. I will better pretend he is some sort of creep."

sarah2079 12y ago

When people say their pets are like their children, I don't think they mean "like" as in "exactly identical to." They mean "like" as in their relationship with their pet fills a similar role in their life. I have had pets and I have a child. If you don't see similarity in these relationships (mainly for the parent-baby relationship, not so much for older children) I think you are taking statements like these MUCH TOO literally. Taking care of a baby was eerily similar to caring for a puppy for me. It's like someone tells you they are so hungry they could eat a horse, and then you say "Oh really? That would rupture your internal organs causing you a horribly painful death." You are taking something way too literally, and then replying with an unnecessarily morbid answer. The combination of these two is likely to make people wonder what the easiest way is to excuse themselves from the conversation.

Xcelerate 12y ago
Thank you for actually providing an explanation. I had always assumed people were being literal in how much they liked their pet. I didn't realize it was just a saying.

abandonliberty 12y ago

You just got some good thoughtful advice on the internet about social interaction. What is this world coming to?

pluma 12y ago

Depends on what you mean by "die". I would wager that a lot of pet owners who really love their pets would, for example, put themselves into mortal danger to save their pet. Typical example: the house is on fire, pet owner needs to leave or they'll die, but they try to find their pet.