We anthropomorphize our pets a lot but I’ve got to say that they have taken on a lot of our human characteristics by hanging out with us. I’m not saying that they haven’t retained their underlying animal nature. A dog is going to roll in stuff that smells bad. A cat is going to pounce on little scurrying things. But when my dog hears me talk about cooking steak and gets excited there is true understanding, not conditioned response. She may not be as good at abstract reasoning as I am but she has got common sense.
On the other side of that coin, there are things that we humans do that are outside of rational thought. We try to tell ourselves that we intend to do them but the entire field of stage illusion is based on the fact that our attention is very easy to misdirect. It is not something that we consciously control. It is part of our fundamental mental make up.
I think our domestic animals are capable of genuine affection for us. I sometimes wonder if there isn’t a kind of Stockholm effect going on but I have long since dismissed that notion. While intelligent and affectionate our furry friends are also naive. They are unaware of dangers, especially in our urban world. That’s why we have to take the responsibility to protect them. Although sometimes, they in turn protect us.
That’s all I can manage tonight. I’m making a list of ideas for posts. I’d love to hear from anyone that is reading this blog. If you have any ideas drop me a line at gmail. My account is jkelliemiller.