The Bitch Box

Paedantic Basterd · 01-29-2011, 02:22 PM

Unfortunately, there's a stigma around homeless people (at least in cities here) that they're criminals and drug addicts, and that giving them 50 cents is contributing to their heroin addiction rather than helping them get a clean pair of pants for a job. There are a lot of people who will contribute to the homeless by donating necessary items to shelters, like clothing and bedding and food, instead of putting money directly in the person's hand.

Stray animals on the other hand, are every day struck by cars and left to die, trapped and poisoned, abused, and ignored. Honestly, I just think you are restricting your sample size to the 5-10 people on this forum who are pro-animal rights.

Urban Hat€monger ? · 01-29-2011, 02:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Batlord

The cat can not help itself,

Yeah it can. It can catch birds & rodents and find scraps.

The Batlord · 01-29-2011, 02:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Urban Hatemonger

Yeah it can. It can catch birds & rodents and find scraps.

Maybe, it's just as likely to starve or die of exposure since it's a domesticated animal.

Urban Hat€monger ? · 01-29-2011, 02:29 PM

It's really not that difficult for a cat to find shelter or food domesticated or not.
I see plenty of strays around here and as wild cats are not native to around here I can only assume they were once domesticated too.
And the same ones come back year after year.

TockTockTock · 01-29-2011, 02:30 PM

He's right. Cats can easily adapt to their environment. Although, domesticated dogs are another story.

Paedantic Basterd · 01-29-2011, 02:35 PM

See, for me, the deciding factor is that while humans are capable of humanity, seeing them fail to exercise it or blatantly choosing not to is why I feel little sympathy for them.

Of course, if we're going to be realistic, I prioritize humans above animals in most cases as well, I just don't prioritize them as far ABOVE animals as you do, Dirty.

**Janszoon** · 01-29-2011, 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dirty

...I feel like a lot of people look down on a homeless bum. You'll see a homeless guy sitting there and all he wants is pocket change but most people won't spare it. But if there was a cute cat sitting there and it looked like it needed help, I bet more people would be ready to help it out.

Your perception of panhandlers definitely sounds like a person who has never lived in the city. A lot of the time the guy asking for change on the corner is not the person you want to be giving money to, he's the asshole who was able to intimidate everyone else into giving up that corner. You'd be helping people in need a hell of a lot more by giving money to a homeless shelter than you would be by giving it to whatever random person on the street happens to ask you for it. And I think a lot of people do exactly that. I'm willing to bet far more people donate to or help out at homeless shelters than at animal shelters.

s_k · 01-29-2011, 04:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pedestrian

I'm not trying to start this discussion all over again, but, you have a girlfriend? Is it the same girl as we've been talking about? I'm just confused is all, as to who is who in your life, haha.

Girlfriend, if any

.
Clear?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dayvan Cowboy

there's no denying that we're a terrible species.

We suck. But I still like most of us. That's because I compare them to other human beings. Animals own us in every possible way though.

~~Dirty~~ · 01-29-2011, 06:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Janszoon

I think we place more value on humans because we're humans. Pretty simple really. Lions undoubtedly place more value on lions.

But to your point about being worth more because we're smarter: Do you also value the lives of the mentally handicapped less than other people? Why or why not?

No I do not. I'm referring to humans VS non-humans, and mentally handicap are certainly people. I'm not talking about taking IQ tests or something. Maybe I could have phrased it better and just said that humans are capable of greater things. Some animals can certainly do awesome things that people can't, but our ability to understand and comprehend things at such a higher level than animals is why I consider humans more important. And like you said, I am a human so that is also why I value human life more than animals. Cause really, the betterment of humans is what I'm most concerned about.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Janszoon

Your perception of panhandlers definitely sounds like a person who has never lived in the city. A lot of the time the guy asking for change on the corner is not the person you want to be giving money to, he's the asshole who was able to intimidate everyone else into giving up that corner. You'd be helping people in need a hell of a lot more by giving money to a homeless shelter than you would be by giving it to whatever random person on the street happens to ask you for it. And I think a lot of people do exactly that. I'm willing to bet far more people donate to or help out at homeless shelters than at animal shelters.

Probably, I don't know who volunteers where. I don't think I really passed any judgment on homeless and I'm not really arguing if the person begging for change is a good person or not. My point is just that when you see a homeless person begging, you can assume they are in need. And most people don't even want to spare their pocket change, which means hardly anything to your average person walking down the street.

**Janszoon** · 01-29-2011, 06:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dirty

No I do not. I'm referring to humans VS non-humans, and mentally handicap are certainly people. I'm not talking about taking IQ tests or something. Maybe I could have phrased it better and just said that humans are capable of greater things. Some animals can certainly do awesome things that people can't, but our ability to understand and comprehend things at such a higher level than animals is why I consider humans more important. And like you said, I am a human so that is also why I value human life more than animals. Cause really, the betterment of humans is what I'm most concerned about.

Well admitting that you value humans more simply because you're human certainly makes sense, but all this talk of us being at a higher level and capable of greater things doesn't really make a whole lot of sense. What are you basing these comments on?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dirty

Probably, I don't know who volunteers where. I don't think I really passed any judgment on homeless and I'm not really arguing if the person begging for change is a good person or not. My point is just that when you see a homeless person begging, you can assume they are in need. And most people don't even want to spare their pocket change, which means hardly anything to your average person walking down the street.

Wow, I think you really missed a substantial portion of my post there. Again, I think you have a very simplistic understanding of the situation with panhandlers.

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01-29-2011, 02:29 PM	#7074 (permalink)
Urban Hat€monger ? The Sexual Intellectual Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Somewhere cooler than you Posts: 18,605	It's really not that difficult for a cat to find shelter or food domesticated or not. I see plenty of strays around here and as wild cats are not native to around here I can only assume they were once domesticated too. And the same ones come back year after year. __________________ Urb's RYM Stuff Most people sell their soul to the devil, but the devil sells his soul to Nick Cave.

01-29-2011, 02:22 PM	#7071 (permalink)
Paedantic Basterd Music Addict Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 5,184	Unfortunately, there's a stigma around homeless people (at least in cities here) that they're criminals and drug addicts, and that giving them 50 cents is contributing to their heroin addiction rather than helping them get a clean pair of pants for a job. There are a lot of people who will contribute to the homeless by donating necessary items to shelters, like clothing and bedding and food, instead of putting money directly in the person's hand. Stray animals on the other hand, are every day struck by cars and left to die, trapped and poisoned, abused, and ignored. Honestly, I just think you are restricting your sample size to the 5-10 people on this forum who are pro-animal rights.

01-29-2011, 02:30 PM	#7075 (permalink)
TockTockTock They/Them Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 1,914	He's right. Cats can easily adapt to their environment. Although, domesticated dogs are another story.

01-29-2011, 02:35 PM	#7076 (permalink)
Paedantic Basterd Music Addict Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 5,184	See, for me, the deciding factor is that while humans are capable of humanity, seeing them fail to exercise it or blatantly choosing not to is why I feel little sympathy for them. Of course, if we're going to be realistic, I prioritize humans above animals in most cases as well, I just don't prioritize them as far ABOVE animals as you do, Dirty.