• 7bicycles [he/him]
    ·
    2 years ago

    I understand, I’m just trying to re-interpret this narrative from “evil people” to “people forced into circumstances that upended their lives”

    Never attribute to malice etc. etc.

    I don't think people returning pets are evil. The idea that they are is exactly what I'm critiquing, actually. Everyone getting their panties in a bunch over how evil these people are, meanwhile, no one gives two shits about animals otherwise. Ohhh nooo someone who figured they couldn't care for a dog gave them away to an institution for exactly this scenario, how terrible. I will tell my family this over our veal dinner.

    I do see your side though, that a pet to many is seen not as a member of the family, but as a commodity or toy and that can also boil down to societal conditions.

    I'd argue animal here more than pet since the distinction is arbitrary anyways but otherwise, spot on. I mean this shit is arguably no different than rescuing an animal you didn't want or can care for to me, it's just sort of a "two wrongs make a right" situation here as to what kind of animals it happens to.

    But I do believe that if you're one of these people you should take a look at how you got into the situation and think about the set of values you hold that led you there are all that great or consistent in itself.

    • invalidusernamelol [he/him]
      ·
      2 years ago

      Definitely agree, there's a much deeper discussion to be had here about how animals are treated and commodified by basically all developed societies. We have really moved past the need for meat (something that made more sense when the pastures were natural and smoking could preserve enough calories to last a winter before refrigeration).

      When animals are no longer a necessary source of calories to survive in less fertile climates due to massive increases in agricultural output, there's no conceivable reason to continue their exploitation. However, under the current mode of production, with the political power gained by the ranching class (in America, a direct result of Manifest Destiny and exploitation of native populations of humans and animals), the narrative can never be allowed to enter the realm of sanity.

      There must always be diversion from the systemic powers that create and perpetuate the massively inefficient and unethical meat industry because we can never question it. Only question the ethics of individual "consumers" who interact with that system for which no alternative has been allowed to be built.