04-06-2018, 09:41 AM
A lot of people believe most traits of complex thoughts or feelings are unique to the human race. Suggesting other species may share those traits earns the admonishment of "anthropomorphizing."
I like to turn things around and look at them from as many angles as I can conceive of. To me, based on my experience, many humans have a self-centered and arrogant perspective. I dub this "anthrocentrism," more specifically defined as the belief that only humans are capable of complex thoughts or emotions, and I consider it a fallacy. I just made it up, so I have nothing to back it up except my own observations and some conjecture.
I worked at a dog kennel for a couple years ... don't get excited, by then I had long settled that I would no longer fencehop and would never take liberties with someone else's animal companions. The owner ran it out of her private ranch on 20-30 partially forested acres. She had three dogs of her own at the time, among them a male Leonberger mix named Moses and a female Newfoundand named Baney, both quite large dogs. Moses adored Baney, but not purely in a sexual way -- both were castrated/spayed. My observations from enjoying the company of them is Moses truly wanted to please Baney.
Moses and Baney both enjoyed my pets and scritches, which I have a renown among my friends and family, zoo and non alike, for how focused and persistent I am at finding all "those special spots" on critters and sating those cravings for pets and scritches. Moses took to not only enjoying them, but several times would tug on my shirt sleeve to pully me over to Baney to get me to give her attention as well.
Most people don't think dogs could have such complex love for this, that its all self-gratifying instinctive fucking and eating, but I have observed examples of this that tell me that's not true, and those people have their views of animals tainted by anthrocentrism.
