Animals

[teguififthzeal]

I love all animals, especially chimpanzees, however it seems to me that loving animals to the exclusion of human beings is a new form of nihilism.

[Kevin]

Well said, teguififthzeal.

If you were around in decades past, you probably remember people being characterized as "tree huggers." The new attitude toward animals - especially pets - could be characterized as "pet hugging." That gloppy, sentimental attitude built on a foundation of subtle anger.

People's pets are so often without training or manners, just like their owners, and if you don't like it you're "mean," possibly a pet abuser.

Yes, there are greater problems in the world, but post-hippies getting gooey over animals and putting people last is a regularly occurring irritation.

Not that most people don't deserve it.

[ToALonelyPeace]

The discussion reminds me of this man

Grizzly Man - Werner Herzog - YouTube

A lot of people bash Treadwell because he abandoned human society only to express its values in the wild, and the common (dare I say instinctual?) belief in separation between animals and humans rails against Treadwell's sentiments. People say he deserved his ending because he was naive; I thought he deserved his ending because he was not. Treadwell always said he loved bears and would die for them, and I believe he (unconsciously) wished-and knew-someday he really would. He chose his fate, and whether this fate was tragic or not can be debated.

I don't think it was, because I've held the belief since young that you eat what you love and you love what you eat. To be eaten by what you love is not bad at all. Even before I fully understand the different ways people die, I thought of cannibalism as an act of love. Treadwell wished to be a bear, loved the bear, so he became one with the bear.

You see, to me that summarizes what is so strange about human. Have you ever heard of a chimpanzee that doesn't want to be a chimpanzee anymore? (I'm not talking about cases of displacement by circumstance, but voluntary integration). An animal going against survival instincts to live near predators for 10 years? Even the bears were confused.
_____________
On another note, the other day while my class was dissecting cat arteries & veins, a group found out their cat was pregnant (only a few weeks in I believe). The whole class mourned for the cat's unborn baby. I was flummoxed. The class didn't seem to be upset while dissecting cats (complaints were about the formaldehyde) yet was upset about unborn cat babies. Was it because people watch too many kitten videos? Many human behaviors continue to perplex me.

[symbolique]

nil

[symbolique]

nil

Cesar Millan is kind of stupid. His training methods tend to be too domineering in trying to gain "alpha status" and based off outdated views. Anyone who still encourages the 'alpha roll' or hitting a dog are idiots.

Ian Dunbar is far, far better and more influential than Cesar Millan. His reward-based training method is based off modern research and doesn't require one to be domineering.

I am currently reading Teoti Anderson's The Ultimate Guide to Dog Training. She had significant involvement in Ian Dunbar's organizations, and she does a good job explaining how to use cues, clickers, and reward-based training with treats for dogs. The layout of the book is a little messed up, but I will supplement it with Ian Dunbar's Before and After Getting Your Puppy. I am going to throw Cesar Millan's books into the trash, for I made a mistake getting them from the flea market.

Ian Dunbar: Dog-friendly dog training - YouTube

Also, Jackson Galaxy is a scoundrel too, for he advocated euthanizing a misbehaved cat on his dumb show. Both Jackson Galaxy and Cesar Millan are retarded and no 'whisperers'.

[Zaharoff]

Quote Originally Posted by Mithras

Cesar Millan is kind of stupid. His training methods tend to be too domineering in trying to gain "alpha status" and based off outdated views . . .

Cannot resist. One of my fave Cesar Milan images from back when -

[ToALonelyPeace]

Squirrel Unties Rope From Tree in Amazing Display of Intelligence - YouTube

[gveranon]

A ‘Viral’ New Bird Song in Canada Is Causing Sparrows to Change Their Tune