Why does no one care about animals anymore

[Kaprika]

Just for the record, I am in no way saying an animal has more value than a human. However...

I am.  Humans are way less valuable than animals.  Think about it like money and inflation.  Once there is a crap load of money printed, its value is lower.  There are more humans than almost all animal species, therefore there is much more humans to spare than animals, making them less valuable.

i think a more compelling argument would be that were screwin up the place..
we are like leeches on this planet..we take and take and take. you ever see the movie WallE..thats a GOOD idea of what earths gonna end up like. we put ourselves at the top of overall planetary worth, that we have supreme standing here.
animals are here for our conveniance, resources are there to be taken, and we can rape and burn this world as much as we want..and that were already looking to colonize other planets cause were dun effing this one over

[Puncia]

I've thought about "adopting" something with WWF, or ask if I could have it as a gift from my relatives. However, I've seen a few others that do the same and their stuffed animal was larger, cheaper and they got a prize for being the best charity adopting organisation.

http://www.worldwildlife.org/ogc/species_SKU.cfm?gid=32
VS.
https://secure.defenders.org/site/SPageServer?pagename=wagc_snowleopard
For instance.

And I know giving more means more to the cause and everything, though $250 is a lot. But the latter will also only ship to the US which I think is humbug.

[Count of Cutesy]

*Sigh* So this is what it's come down to. Two sides, those that hate animals VS those that hate humans. Isn't there anyone else who likes both?

[Puncia]

I do? I see humans as animals, but more intelligent and with a far higher self-awareness and all that comes with - good and bad.

[rsteele1113]

Name 1 reason I should love humans.  Humans have done nothing except made me suffer for my whole life, from parental abuse when I was a kid to people beating me, robbing me, trying to shoot me, and other stuff as I got older...I have no reason to like humans at all.

[Puncia]

You seem to forget that not all are as horrible as the people you obviously have lived your life around and with.

Keep in mind that all you hear on the news is about bad people doing bad things, you close to never hear about all the good deeds done in this world. Right now, there are thousands of people planning, creating and/or making their loved one's best memory, one they will remember and cherish for the rest of their lives. There are mothers comforting their children and friends backing up one another. And yes, humans rescuing animals in need. Would you call them bad people too?

Would you call us bad people? Because if you like it or not - we are humans too, typing away on your keyboards.

I am sorry to hear about your experiences and I understand well that you are bitter. But what you are doing could be called racism.

[rsteele1113]

I don't think that's racism, I'm not singling out any one ethnicity.  I hate everybody equally.  I do agree, there are good people in the world.  The people on here are great people.  All the mothers comforting their children and friends backing up other friends are good people.  I still dislike them because they get those things, and get cared about, and I'm just left here all alone with nobody to hang out with, and none of the people that do have friends care whether I'm included or not because they don't need me because they already have others, and I'm useless to them.  It's really hard to truly explain how terrible it feels after 20 years of being left behind like I'm invisible.  I wouldn't expect you to understand that though.

[Puncia]

I understand more than you know, and if you feel that your past should determine your future as much it seems to be doing, then so be it.

Back on topic though, before a mod comes.
I think most people out there do like animals without being extreme.

[Valdyr]

The problem is a component of the Western worldview that has been dominant since the Christian domination of Europe - the idea of anthropocentrism.  Broadly defined, anthropocentrism is the idea that only humans and human institutions are deserving of ethical (moral consideration), and thereby, any value in the natural world, whether it be other species, ecosystems, etc., only has instrumental value.  This means that under an anthropocentric worldview, things in nature only have value insofar as human ends are concerned - when human ends conflict with instrumental value, the value disappears.  This is why you see things like "animals are all well and good, but we should still build here even if it will destroy the ecosystem."  In this view, only humans and the direct products of human action have intrinsic value, or value in and of themselves.

What we need is a slight paradigm shift - we need to abandon anthropocentrism.  In a holistic natural ethic, things in nature which don't accomplish human ends, such as members of other species, or intact ecosystems, have intrinsic value, and must be given ethical treatment even if that might conflict with human ends.  For example, in a holistic ethic, we would not destroy a pristine pine forest just because the economic value of whatever we're building can feed ten starving children - and this goes in line with many of our moral intuitions.  A thought experiment often used by environmental philosophers is the "last man" experiment.  The idea is that there is only one human left alive - humans will inevitable go extinct.  Would it be ethical for the man to destroy the balance of a functioning ecosystem to suit his ends, even though he is inevitably the last human?

How does this fit in with treatment of animals?  Right now, we treat animals as largely having instrumental value - yes, treating them nicely is all well and good, but we have strip malls to build.  We must stop treating animals as having instrumental value, and instead treat most them and ecosystems - even the entire biosphere - as having intrinsic value.  This would not require some dystopian fantasy where modern society is dismantled, but it would change what we treat as being valuable.  The enviroment, including the animals which live in it (which includes us by the way) must be treated as having moral value independent of human aspirations.  That's not to say that "animals have more value" or "animals have less value" than humans - we cannot make ethical decisions by attempting some calculus of ethical value - that's the folly of utilitarian ethics.  "Maximum good" is not a possible calculation to make, because values are qualitative, not quantitative - animals, ecosystems, humans, etc., all have different sorts of values and rights that interact in different ways depending on the circumstances.

[___]

Ok, here I go... (Inhales)

I see that humans and animals are of equal worth, because in the end, we're all the same thing, just a bit diffrent looking. However, that being said, its difficult for me to like humans as much as I like animals. Just last night, I saw both sides of how humans are.

I volenteered with the Girl Scouts and they were kind, caring, and when I messed up, they didn't get mad, and they even helped me fix it. That made me feel really good. =D 

But last night, my mate almost got killed by some guy over a car accident that wasn't even his fault. The only reason he's alive right now is because his father carries a gun with him.

But back on topic, I think the argument could go either way; their are more vegan/vegetarians and just people who care about animals, but also more jackwads that could care less about them.

[wastelander16]

I both like and dislike humans and animals

the humans I don't like are the general bad guys that hurt other things fore selfish reasons or fore no reason at all

The only animals I can honestly say I hate is this one bird that keeps making poopoo on my car, in the same spot every week or so. 

[Count of Cutesy]

While visually, I think humans are not much to look at. ...Except for the babes. I like the human race as a whole for their intelligence, personality, and all that some humans have done to this planet while ignoring all the bad. Infact, that's another reason why I'm a furry, it's because anthropomorphic animals have the visual appeal of an animal, and the intelligence and personality of a human. In other words, I like furries cause they have the best of both worlds. Although for the record, I like attractive humans MUCH MUCH more than attractive furries, which I don't like at all because I dislike Bestiality.

[iKero-chu™]

Every is entitled to their opinion, whether its their views on animals, religion, sexual orientations, school, etc.

What matters, no matter what your views are, is your actions.
As long as your actions are not threatening or physically harming any living creature without a real reasonable cause, then feel and think all you want.
Feelings are never right or wrong, they just are what they are. You can't control them nor can anyone else.
Besides, it's your birthright. ;P

In my opinion I love animals. They are important and should be considered on the same level of importance as us.
Yes, most of us consumes animals but animals consume other animals as well. As long as we're doing it in a humane-like manner than its fine. Its survival.
Otherwise, the hurting of animals is just plain unacceptable. What kind of person takes joy in hurting another living being, an innocent one in fact.
I mean I can see if its for protection or food when its absolutely necessary, as stated above previously.

[Ares the Ram]

I care about animals...   

[Darksky]

I always have felt that a human life is worthless, humans have never done anything good for the earth.  Whenever I tell people that, they give me awkaward stares.