The Cult of Pet Ownership

Hello, Steemit community! I recently read this article and it filled me with an obligation to add my social critique. The cult of pet ownership is a manifestation of misanthropy and death of great values in society. A society that no longer celebrates moral virtue over various materialistic gains.

They should be treated humanely but not humanly.

This was a Black Lab that was trained for bomb-sniffing in Afghanistan and was suffering from bone cancer. It was brought back to America and was given a full military funeral. The funeral included 21 gun salutes, taps, and the flag around the coffin. All the honors you would give a human-being that showed great courage in combat. The problem is dogs are incapable of virtue. They are only capable of doing what you trained them to do. So, if the dog was trained to sniff out truffles in the French countryside instead of bombs in Afghanistan. That is exactly what it would have done because it would have no will of its own. To treat a dog that dies while performing in Afghanistan in the same way that you would treat a human being. A human marine that jumps on a grenade to save his comrades. All that does is cheapen idealism and reason.

Valor in action

I am not saying don't love your pets but the elevation of pets in this society is unhealthy. To the point of replacing children and human companions for a large number of people. It is partly due to alienation, loneliness, and general anti-social tenor that permeates society. Also, partly due to the desire of people to escape judgment. The pet cannot judge. It cannot choose for itself. The pet will love its owner even if he/she is a murderer or a child molester. It will have affection for its master. Whoever feeds it and scratches under its chin. That is just how pets are. How they are bred and trained. Doesn't mean you shouldn't have affection for them. However, to elevate them to your most important partner or replace children with them. It is not healthy for society.

Should be treated as a novelty or a friend to entertain the children.

We know dogs feel pain, but we also know dogs can't reason for themselves. There are many Christian churches in America where the congregation have a special 'bless your pet' day. What does this say about society? Where dogs are treated not only as humans but are treated as ideals. Treated as boundless nobility, boundless friendship, and boundless love. A love that is unconditional. However, if we view this from an objective point. We see that there is no such thing as unconditional love. To have love you need to keep the flame lit. A lot of people dismiss responsibility and risk-taking you need to achieve love with other humans. Yes, it is true that other people can betray you, and yes, it is true that people can be cruel. However, if you totally go MGTOW on humans. You end up creating a society that is misanthropic.

My take on Modern Christianity will have to be for a different time

If you thought SJWs with their infinite amount of genders was utterly insane. Just wait until you see some of these dog moms! Carrying their dogs in a kangaroo pouch or pushing them around in strollers as if the dog is her child. Even having birthday parties for them. You can walk into any park in a major city in America and see a family with all these birthday decorations. You would think they are having a party for a little kid, and no. Lo and behold it is a party for a dog! I have seen this, it is pathetic.

The pet industry is close breaking the 100 billion mark. So, this assertion that children are unaffordable for a good number of couples is absurd. In lieu of having those children, they're having these pets. In order to replace that part of their life with something to take of, show them affection and nurture. The idea they can't afford these children while collectively spending almost a 100 billion dollars on pets is a little bit absurd. When you look at the lowering birth rates of upper class people and the increase in spending on pets. Clearly, there is a disconnect here and the resources for having more children exists. It is just being spent on dogs and cats. I'm not talking about killing your pets, being abusive to them or not being friendly to them. The point is that if this is your life companion and you're not really seeking out life companions that are humans. Whether it be a lover, a friend or a spouse. You're missing out on a huge part of life. If your only companion is a creature that doesn't judge you, or that can't offer you any kind of stimulating social interaction other than cuddling or licking your face.

There are two ways to own a pet.

• For you to own your pet
• For your pet to own you

When you pour all of your affection and nurturing instincts onto an animal. You are participating in a form of masturbation. It is true that in this modern, multicultural, alienated and isolated world. Especially, with all these tech gadgets and the internet. People are becoming closed-in and introverted. A pet helps soothe these negative feelings. It makes you complacent. It is analogous to pornography. Every healthy, young man desires women. Today, instead of going out and risking rejection. Maybe even have to work on yourself after feeling dejected. A lot of young men stay at home with their pants around their ankles, in a dark room, surrounded by opened packages junk food and urine bottles. Jacking off to Mia Khalifa or whatever pornstar. In essence, this is not good for you because even though it soothes that part of your masculinity. It is not the same thing! The same is true when you look for affection in the animal world. Where all you need to do to get that affection is to pour some food in a bowl and pet its head. In return, it seems that you get boundless love. It is not real love because love is only love if you can choose it. You get a form of ersatz from a pet. Which is totally understandable! I love pets! That doesn't mean they're people. When you projected humanity onto animals, you start becoming more of an animal yourself.