People or animals?
/So I got roped into some stupid survey online as I was procrastinating this morning. At one point I came across a question and it's possible answers that read:
- Which is worse; starving children or abused animals?
- Starving children
- Abused animals
- Neither, both are good
- Neither, both are equally bad
There was immediately one choice available for me. First of all, let's go ahead and discount the "both are good" answer since that's just inane. I cannot imagine anyone also saying that abused animals are worse than starving children either, so we'll count that one out. This still leaves 2 answers. It still seems like an open and shut case, but for some reason I'm surprised at the answer I saw other people choose. And since I never learn my lesson when it comes to dealing with people online, I'm surprised that I'm surprised. Realistically, I should have seen this coming.
The answer that surprised me was "neither, both are equally bad." How can this be? One is an animal and the other is a human being. Just to be 100% sure we are clear here - I'm a pet owner. I have nothing against animals. I'm often made fun of for how I treat my little furry friends like people and my children. I love them dearly. At no point do they actually equal people though - ever.
We have a limited about of resources (be it time or money) and that should not be split down the middle for children and animals. Remember, animals were wild creatures that we'd eat until we, as humans, chose to domesticate them and keep them as pets. They don't work or pay the rent. They don't provide meaningful conversation. They depend on us because we made it so. Children depend on us because they are incapable or sustaining themselves, they are our offspring, and our species rears its children.
I'm not saying we should all take classes on how to make extra cash by Michael Vick. I'm not even saying you should stop helping prevent animal cruelty or abuse. But in what world is an animal and a child worth the same? If there's a starving a child and an abused animal side by side and you have enough time or money to help only one... would you really have to stop and wonder which way to go?
Maybe it's just me. Maybe I'm not sensitive enough to certain things. I don't know. The only thing I do know is that a PERSON will always hold more importance than an animal to me.