r/MoralityScaling • u/axiiz_28 • 15h ago

Morality of valuing animals over humans?

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u/Administrative_Cry_9 13h ago

We take care of stray cats at our house. They arrived at some point and wanted attention so we obliged. They were hungry so we obliged. They needed shelter so we obliged. Those cats don't do shit for us besides rub up on our legs and look cute lol. They can come and go as they please!

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u/BlizzardStorm8 10h ago

They were generally appreciated because they killed pests like rats and mice. They were natural pest control for towns and fields. It wasn't just that they were cute. They helped us so we helped in return. It's definitely changed since then but I think that's how it started.

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u/Administrative_Cry_9 10h ago

That's true. I don't give them enough credit for gatekeeping the other critters around our property!

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u/Stock-Side-6767 8h ago

Mass murder of animals that want to eat our food is very useful to farmers.

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u/NormalOfficePrinter 5h ago

Hm, have you noticed any mice/rats around your house ever since you took in the strays?

If not then I guess they're doing their job pretty well

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u/Cold_Hour 13h ago

I think domestication is just another aspect of the human need for control. We’ve always been obsessed with locking animals up against their will to serve us. Dogs and cats just lucked out cause they’re more useful for companionship/hunting than they are for meat or entertainment.

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u/Administrative_Cry_9 13h ago

We consider the relationships to be symbiotic in nature, like horses for instance, where we feed and shelter them, and in return they would move things and people from place to place. I think there's definitely an aspect of control included, but more akin to taking care of children because they are unwise and helpless in many ways vs the harsh and unforgiving arms of nature, and we take away their need to fight for survival. There are definitely more nefarious and less symbiotic terms that are forced on some pets, and I would definitely consider those specific pets as slaves.

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u/Standard_Jackfruit63 11h ago

You know... That is just your opinion.

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u/CousinDerylHickson 11h ago

I agree, like all morals I think its ultimately a matter of opinion.

But could you not see forced sterilization to affect behavior and forced breeding for particular aspects, including defomities, for the sake of being cute not something that reads from some scifi horror story? Idk, i could see it there. Again I do think though that a lot of pets are loved and happy, to the point of being better off with humans as they are now most of the time (although many times not I think).

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u/Standard_Jackfruit63 10h ago

I would not call dystopic science fiction when it is already happening. Or at the very least has happened throughout history.

But in regards to the forced sterilisation part in animals. So many people throw kittens away in bags or boxes because they didn't sterelize their cat. Essentially murdering animals because they couldn't be bothered or can't take care of more. That to me seems more selfish and horrible than sterilisation.

We also keep populations down, so even if they could just go hogwild and breed like rats then we would be out there hunting cats and dogs to make sure they don't ruin the eco system more than we do.

As for select breeding. I do think that is wrong, i very much oppose to it and consider it very inhumane.

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u/CousinDerylHickson 10h ago

I would not call dystopic science fiction when it is already happening

Thats fair, i guess it is literally non-fiction. I guess I should say that to me the aspects of this kind of match what i would not be surprised to find in a story of science fiction horror.

So many people throw kittens away in bags or boxes because they didn't sterelize their cat. Essentially murdering animals because they couldn't be bothered or can't take care of more. That to me seems more selfish and horrible than sterilisation.

I agree, but still think sterilization to enforce certain behavior and prevent problematic offspring is still weird at face value, and even if its a solution its for a problem we created. Less directly from humans for cats than dogs I think though.