Difference between animal/human death

[jimnyc]

I may have even posted about this before. This is something that I have often wondered about.

Why does the death of animals seemingly bother me so much more? I guess I got used to human death. But if I see a video of something having ANYthing to do with an animal dying, I refuse to watch it. It gives me a sick feeling when I see/hear about someone losing a beloved pet. But even the National Geographic stuff, animals killing one another in nature, I just can't watch it. But let it be 50 people killing one another at Times Square - and I'm hoping for a video to see the action!

I'm not dismissing the death of humans of course, but it just doesn't give me that same crappy feeling in my gut.

[hjmick]

In 2008 my dad died. I cried, I mourned, I wept, I was sad.

In 2012 we had to have one of our dogs put down. He'd been a part of our family for 17 years. I cried more that day than the day my dad died.

I didn't love the dog more than I loved my dad, so why?

I have only been able to attribute my reaction that day to the fact that that dog and I had spent almost every single day for the past 17 years interacting and sharing a life.

[Gunny]

I may have even posted about this before. This is something that I have often wondered about.

Why does the death of animals seemingly bother me so much more? I guess I got used to human death. But if I see a video of something having ANYthing to do with an animal dying, I refuse to watch it. It gives me a sick feeling when I see/hear about someone losing a beloved pet. But even the National Geographic stuff, animals killing one another in nature, I just can't watch it. But let it be 50 people killing one another at Times Square - and I'm hoping for a video to see the action!

I'm not dismissing the death of humans of course, but it just doesn't give me that same crappy feeling in my gut.

Hard truth ... we are closer to our pets than the people around us. Their love/dependency is unconditional. And it's about control. No matter who you are nor what you do, you cannot save it.

[aboutime]

We are just humans with human feelings. Of course we cry, and mourn when an animal dies. I would be much more concerned if WE DIDN'T.

Then again. The enemies of life, freedom, and liberty believe Death is their calling, and that they need not feel any human pain...because they believe they will become Martyrs.

[Gunny]

We are just humans with human feelings. Of course we cry, and mourn when an animal dies. I would be much more concerned if WE DIDN'T.

Then again. The enemies of life, freedom, and liberty believe Death is their calling, and that they need not feel any human pain...because they believe they will become Martyrs.


Got to spread it around.

[Drummond]

I think a part of it is that humans are, to whatever degree, capable of being prepared for death. We understand the concept, and we know it's coming. An animal won't have that understanding, though, and its thoughts will be dominated by what it feels.

In that sense, animals are akin to very small children who lack any concept of it.

[Abbey Marie]

I may have even posted about this before. This is something that I have often wondered about.

Why does the death of animals seemingly bother me so much more? I guess I got used to human death. But if I see a video of something having ANYthing to do with an animal dying, I refuse to watch it. It gives me a sick feeling when I see/hear about someone losing a beloved pet. But even the National Geographic stuff, animals killing one another in nature, I just can't watch it. But let it be 50 people killing one another at Times Square - and I'm hoping for a video to see the action!

I'm not dismissing the death of humans of course, but it just doesn't give me that same crappy feeling in my gut.


I'm the same. I think it because animals are so innocent and helpless and we don't feel they deserve pain or death. People, OTOH, can be awful. Even the average ones. I always thought it was because I read Black Beauty as a child.

[Noir]

*Sildes in*
http://www.debatepolicy.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=9560&stc=1
*slides out*

[jimnyc]

There's always one that has to take things in a different direction. :rolleyes:

Noir - just because you're malnourished, and look like a homeless person who eats 3x per year, there's no need to try and fuck up otherwise good threads that have nothing to do with animal slaughter. Save your little lessons for someone that gives a fuck. You posting your pictures now and again is all I need to see to know I at least eat healthily.

[Noir]

Always a pleasure chatting Jim.

[jimnyc]

Always a pleasure chatting Jim.

No it's not. You think people who are different than you are wrong, because God forbid we eat meat. And then you even need to be a little queer in a thread about pets, can't even let it be in a thread as such. That's not chatting like the REST were doing, that's you taking the subject we are discussing and using it as an opportunity to lecture about animals being slaughtered. Save your BS for appropriate threads.

[Gunny]

Think about it. I see people after school/work and everyone's getting dinner, doing homework, etc, then they go to bed. I get the drill. Lived it for years.

I see the dogs and cats all day every day. A couple of them won't leave me the Hell alone. They're always happy to see me (the cats not so much)

I would miss them more because there would be a void I'm not used to. I'm used to the people being gone.

[Gunny]

Noir ... try talking TO people instead of AT them. You ain't as smart nor right as you think. Thing is, whatever you have to contribute gets lost in your vitriol.

[Noir]

No it's not. You think people who are different than you are wrong, because God forbid we eat meat. And then you even need to be a little queer in a thread about pets, can't even let it be in a thread as such. That's not chatting like the REST were doing, that's you taking the subject we are discussing and using it as an opportunity to lecture about animals being slaughtered. Save your BS for appropriate threads.

idk what's got into you of late but you're taking these posts hard 0,o
tbh I don't think you can make a thread about 'I can't watch videos of animals being hurt/dying' etc and not expect a response from a known vegan in the board regarding the cognitive dissonance on display, but hey just toss out some 'you're malnourished yada-yada' and alls grand.

[jimnyc]

idk what's got into you of late but you're taking these posts hard 0,o
tbh I don't think you can make a thread about 'I can't watch videos of animals being hurt/dying' etc and not expect a response from a known vegan in the board regarding the cognitive dissonance on display, but hey just toss out some 'you're malnourished yada-yada' and alls grand.

Dude, it's about pets - loved ones, as I wrote. I love pets as much as humans, again, as I wrote. Folks are in here talking about just that, and why we love our pets and other animals so much. Then you pop in and want to post something trying to make us feel guilty or whatever, because we love animals, but yet still eat meat? There's really no reasonable reason for that other than 'lecturing' us.

This wasn't a political thread. This wasn't in the politics section looking for a debate on the subject. I CAN post about this and not expect a vegan to post something not on topic. That's why many of us leave the political section and post down below, to get away from the debates, and have friendly discussion with one another.

[jimnyc]

Noir ... try talking TO people instead of AT them. You ain't as smart nor right as you think. Thing is, whatever you have to contribute gets lost in your vitriol.

Well stated. JOINING a discussion in the lounge section and chatting with us - as opposed to posting AT a discussion and trying to make a point about whatever.

[Gunny]

idk what's got into you of late but you're taking these posts hard 0,o
tbh I don't think you can make a thread about 'I can't watch videos of animals being hurt/dying' etc and not expect a response from a known vegan in the board regarding the cognitive dissonance on display, but hey just toss out some 'you're malnourished yada-yada' and alls grand.

You're a pussy for more than one reason. Not responding to people means you're acting like a 3 years old. If you want to discuss your malnourished state go for it. You have the same "create new thread" function as the rest of us.

In context, the conversation is about family pets. Newsflash ,,, we don't eat our pets. You're being an ass.

[jimnyc]

You're a pussy for more than one reason. Not responding to people means you're acting like a 3 years old. If you want to discuss your malnourished state go for it. You have the same "create new thread" function as the rest of us.

In context, the conversation is about family pets. Newsflash ,,, we don't eat our pets. You're being an ass.

You don't? I figure once they pass and are gone, I eat them and now they're with me forever. :)

[jimnyc]

Seriously though. Right in front of me on the upper portion of my desk is all of my 'Jerome' stuff. I have his ashes in a beautiful urn I bought, It's surrounded by his favorite toys, and pictures of him. Need I remind anyone I also have a tattoo of him prominently on my chest. No, to me it was not "just a dog".

And no, I would never have eaten my best buddy. :)

[Gunny]

Seriously though. Right in front of me on the upper portion of my desk is all of my 'Jerome' stuff. I have his ashes in a beautiful urn I bought, It's surrounded by his favorite toys, and pictures of him. Need I remind anyone I also have a tattoo of him prominently on my chest. No, to me it was not "just a dog".

And no, I would never have eaten my best buddy. :)

I actually have not had a pet of my own since forever. I don't want one. It took 45 or so years but I learned to not bring something home I didn't have the time to care for. All of these critters here are my daughters. Several have moved into my room because my youngest granddaughter is a terrorist.:laugh:

People act differently about pets. Not my business. Depends on your setting. City people and their pets have a different feeling than farm people and dinner. I freaked out the first time I found out I was eating what used to be the pet cow. My mom on the other hand probably has a tribute to her ankle-biter to rival anything you got.

Hate to sound old-school liberal but it's one of those live and let live things to me.

[jimnyc]

I actually have not had a pet of my own since forever. I don't want one. It took 45 or so years but I learned to not bring something home I didn't have the time to care for. All of these critters here are my daughters. Several have moved into my room because my youngest granddaughter is a terrorist.:laugh:

People act differently about pets. Not my business. Depends on your setting. City people and their pets have a different feeling than farm people and dinner. I freaked out the first time I found out I was eating what used to be the pet cow. My mom on the other hand probably has a tribute to her ankle-biter to rival anything you got.

Hate to sound old-school liberal but it's one of those live and let live things to me.

I have zero problem with live and let live. I never ever go out of my way to give an issue to those who choose to be vegetarians or vegans. I actually applaud them for making a decision and sticking with it. There's just a place and time to have that debate is all. :)

[Gunny]

I have zero problem with live and let live. I never ever go out of my way to give an issue to those who choose to be vegetarians or vegans. I actually applaud them for making a decision and sticking with it. There's just a place and time to have that debate is all. :)

I have a problem with train wrecking a benign thread with no real purpose other than to piss in someone else's Wheaties. .

[Noir]

Seriously though. Right in front of me on the upper portion of my desk is all of my 'Jerome' stuff. I have his ashes in a beautiful urn I bought, It's surrounded by his favorite toys, and pictures of him. Need I remind anyone I also have a tattoo of him prominently on my chest. No, to me it was not "just a dog".

And no, I would never have eaten my best buddy. :)

True story - you know the children's film 'Babe' in which a piglet is taken in by a farmer and wants to be a sheep-dog etc? James Cromwell who played the Farmer Mr Hoggart became a vegan during the filming of it, for reasons including that the piglets he filmed with where indistinguishable from dogs in how they behaved etc.
Pretty cool all things considered, not just a dog, not just a pig, but fellow animals (:

[jimnyc]

True story - you know the children's film 'Babe' in which a piglet is taken in by a farmer and wants to be a sheep-dog etc? James Cromwell who played the Farmer Mr Hoggart became a vegan during the filming of it, for reasons including that the piglets he filmed with where indistinguishable from dogs in how they behaved etc.
Pretty cool all things considered, not just a dog, not just a pig, but fellow animals (:

Yeps. And when I was a kid, I cried during Charlotte's Web. I even got sappy about a damn spider!!

And while living with my brother in Georgia, I got friendly with some calf's in the field and some of the Mommy's. I would never eat them, I could NEVER live on a farm with animals that will be killed. Anything there would end up becoming my extremely overpriced pets!

[Noir]

Yeps. And when I was a kid, I cried during Charlotte's Web. I even got sappy about a damn spider!!

And while living with my brother in Georgia, I got friendly with some calf's in the field and some of the Mommy's. I would never eat them, I could NEVER live on a farm with animals that will be killed. Anything there would end up becoming my extremely overpriced pets!

I hear these kinda comments *a lot* and it's just like ....you're getting so far, just tip over the edge already :laugh:

[Tyr-Ziu Saxnot]

*Sildes in*
http://www.debatepolicy.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=9560&stc=1
*slides out*

If God didnt want man to eat meat, why did he give us fire, shotguns and grills?
And such sharp skinning knives-- huh?
Not to even mention hotdog and hamburger buns and BBQ SAUCE... ;)--Tyr

[jimnyc]

If God didnt want man to eat meat, why did he give us fire, shotguns and grills?
And such sharp skinning knives-- huh?
Not to even mention hotdog and hamburger buns and BBQ SAUCE... ;)--Tyr

That's like selling cars that do 180mph and then giving me a damn speeding ticket when I go over 55. :(

[Gunny]

That's like selling cars that do 180mph and then giving me a damn speeding ticket when I go over 55. :(

Today's my birthday. I'm having a MFing steak (medium rare}, baked potato, salad bar, shrimp and whatever else I can shove down my suck. and I hope dipweed is offended by every single bite.

I still ain't eating the dog.

[jimnyc]

Today's my birthday. I'm having a MFing steak (medium rare}, baked potato, salad bar, shrimp and whatever else I can shove down my suck. and I hope dipweed is offended by every single bite.

I still ain't eating the dog.

If you were here I would take you over the Ruth's Chris for your birthday. Best filet I ever had. :)

http://i.imgur.com/qvCVLhp.jpg

[aboutime]

I think a part of it is that humans are, to whatever degree, capable of being prepared for death. We understand the concept, and we know it's coming. An animal won't have that understanding, though, and its thoughts will be dominated by what it feels.

In that sense, animals are akin to very small children who lack any concept of it.


Sir Drummond. At my late age now. When I have so much time to reflect on how my life has been so rewarding for me. I often wonder why THINKING HUMAN BEINGS, have so much trouble, or difficulty facing the reality WE ALL eventually will share.
That reality is, and this may upset, or offend. But I don't really care...

On the day we are born. That is the FIRST day that leads toward our LAST day.
As the old expression here in the USA goes. Only two things in life for all of us.

Death, and Taxes. And, to be more factual. We in the USA still get taxed...AFTER WE DIE.
That's what we should all get more angry about. Since, we cannot control the day we pass. Just a thought.