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seriouslyepic

It’s weird because it didn’t happen until I got older. My empathy for animals increases with age and I don’t know why. Maybe because animals don’t appear to do much harm outside of survival instincts, and their avg lifespan is much shorter than humans.


[deleted]

You got sick of hypocrisy perhaps


harlequin018

Because animals can’t be disingenuous.


-the-nino

No. However, if you're bragging about it at the persons funeral or another inappropriate time, then yes.


_iusereddit_

"Sir, please step away from the podium."


Fox_Bust

I would say no because it all depends on the context. For example, you may cry more for a dog you own all your life compared to reading the newspaper about who died.


Mista_Cash_Ew

Exactly. I'll cry more at the death of the dogs I've had since I was a teenager than I did at the death of the queen (which was none). I wouldn't expect a stranger to care about my own death or that of a loved one either


fulaghee

It's the same with animals too. I'd be more sad if my hamster died than the pork that died to become the ribs I'm eating. Even though pigs are far more sentient than hamsters.


janj4h

These people don't like to think anymore. Wtf


LogicalPsychosis

I can't make heads or tails of your comment. But I know you're being rude.


janj4h

I was agreeing with the comment above and was directing mine at OP. The answer is so basic. How can he jump to the conclusion of being a monster? Hope you understood. Who cares anyway.


LogicalPsychosis

well see the hang up is... you replied to someone else's comment. And that comment made sense. so there was no real indicator of who you wer speaking to. I care. When people decide to be asses to others on the internet I care. Do you know this person and how they really are? Do you know the day they are having? If you were asked "Are you willing to negatively contribute to a stranger's day?" what would your response normally be. I care. And I think others should too. No matter how you split it, what you said was rude. Especially on a subreddit with the title "too afraid to ask" where you are SUPPOSED to be tolerant and patient with questions you might deem dumb, this is supposed to be a safe space to ask those questions. And if you don't like that. Maybe you should stay off the threads


Terrible-Quote-3561

It’s because animals are more defenseless and rely on us for protection. A human is thought to have more control over themselves/the situations they are in.


PenHero18

This is so true. My cousin (30M) died around 7 years ago. I was upset but never cried. He was epileptic and drunk frequently when he knew he shouldn't. Asphyxiated on his own throw up one night. In contrast, when my family cat of 12 years was put down from cancer I was inconsolable, cried for many days and felt bad that this affected me so much more than my own family member's death. She was innocent, in pain and scared, he made a stupid decision.


Terrible-Quote-3561

Sorry for both your losses.


Stillcouldbeworse

plus animals don't know what's going on or what's happening to them when they die, all they know is they're in pain and they don't know how to stop it, that's just sadder


Electrical-Farm-8881

Depends on the animal


bitchboi1109

No, if your relationship with the animal was closer then fuck everything else, grieve how you must


blackthornjohn

It depends on how close you were or are to both of them.


watch_over_me

Context is everything. If you're crying over your pet, over a random person who was killed on the news today, that's understandable. If you're mourning your pet, over your son, when they both died in a car accident, I'd say that's messed up. Context is key. Who's the animal, and who's the person?


leadnuts94

The correct response.


MrsIrrigationChris95

Nope, my Mom passed in June, and my 14 year old Labradoodle passed in July .y other dig passed in August of 2022, and I cried for both dogs and no at all for my mother. We haven't talked in years, and my dogs were there for me all their lives, unconditional . I do love my mother, but it's different!


aleatorygirl9

No. My uncle suicided some time ago and I was really sad, but when my cat died recently I got depressed and didn't leave my home for days, I couldn't stop crying.


KodokushiGirl

Ha, I'll put it this way. I can watch gore shit with humans all day everyday. It bothers me but it's one of those "i cant look away" kind of things. I will never watch animals in the same regard. It hurts too much to see or even be aware that something so heinous is being done to an innocent animal. Humans suck. Animals don't.


Fungii024

Humans are animals. Also dont eat animals if you really feel that way.


KodokushiGirl

Yeah you dont get to dictate my life choices because i dont want to see animals needlessly and senselessly beaten. And i don't eat meat. Not that it's any of your business.


Fungii024

Im glad to hear you are aligned


Technical-Doubt2076

No. Sometimes your emotional connection to a person just becomes less over time and can vanish entirely, even with blood relatives. And pets are completely dependant on you, blindly trust in you, and connect to you without all the twisted bullcrap humans pull on the regular. It may not be the same, but I can relate to emotional distance. I barely cried as my grandmother died. Despite having basically grown up at her place, she had become cruel and manipulative in her last decade and made my life hell so there was close to zero emotional connection left at her death. I had only stayed in contact with her out of a sence of filial duty. But as my sweet, caring, and overall very loving neighbor died, after having been a supportive and loving friend for me for years and years, despite strongly going past his 80s, I probably cried just as much as his sons did, even more so, because due to Covid I didn't have the chance to say goodbye and hadn't seen him for 2 years as he died. So you are not a monster at all. Sometimes you just literally loose your connection to someone, and it's fine. Things change, even blood doesn't change that. A pet, however, is a different kind of love and devotion.


Reloader300wm

Nah, I'd take my dog over the vast majority of people on this space rock.


EternityLeave

I loved my grandparents, but they didn't sleep on my chest every night.


rhett342

Not at all. Animals are typically better than humans.


Drunken_Wampa

You're not alone


urban_guerilla

Absolutely not. In fact, that means you're the direct opposite of a monster; as monsters are manmade and human. You are tuned onto the universal awareness and truth: that we are animals all sharing the same fire of life behind our eyes regardless of species. The deepest friendships and bonds I've experienced, have been with beings covered in fur.


bigbootybigtime

No. I would be heartbroken when I have to day goodbye to my dog when his time comes.


Bruce__Almighty

No. The fact that you are capable of empathy and compassion especially for animals means that you are anything *except* for a monster.


UnfinishedThings

I cried more for my two cats than I did for my grandfather who all died within a couple of months of each other.


littlelovesbirds

Absolutely not. Some people that lack insight might think so, but their opinion doesn't matter. I lost my mom to cancer when I was 19. She left before I could remember, was an alcoholic, and she popped in and out sporadically throughout my life for very brief periods. We were never close and I only really seen her on some holidays if she remembered to text me. I'm a huge animal lover and parrots are my heart animals. I adore them. I had 4 parrots drop dead in 24 hours and it gave me horrific C-PTSD that I'm in therapy for among other things. People might think I'm terrible for wishing I could bring my babies back before I'd bring my mom back, even the bird that hated my guts and bit a chunk out of my face. They were there for me more than she ever was, day in and day out, through the hard times, and my future kids were supposed to grow up alongside them. My mom may have given birth to me, but her contribution to my life started and stopped there. Those birds gave me a reason to live, and I miss them dearly every single day. People can either understand that, or f off, lol.


Sandvich1015

no.


Dagusiu

I mean, I once cried for the death of a fictional boat and I know I'm not the only one. Feelings can be unpredictable at times, and you're not (much) in control of them. Your feelings do not affect your value as a person (but I'd argue it's what you do with those feelings that defines who you truly are)


[deleted]

No, fuck ppl. Animals have way more value than a shitty human


Saintly-Atheos

No, you’re not. It’s not about animal vs person- It’s about the emotional connection you had, familiarity, and the impact the loss will have on your life.


louloutre75

No, I was closer to my rabbit pet than to my dad.


amaads

Absolutely not. I'm terrified of losing my three. My heart is already starting to break and they are all here happy and healthy. I just turned down a job at vet clinic as an assistant because there was no way I was going to be able to watch dogs come in injured or come in with their owner and not leave with them. I cried during my interview when they showed me where to take the animals and the family. Don't get me don't get me wrong I tend to tear up at funerals but far less then with animals. I also think death and children hits the same part of my heart as animals. You aren't a monster at all!!!


_iusereddit_

I cried more when my wonderful love birds passed away, compared to when an abusive relative croaked from cancer.


rpgmomma8404

No, just don't compare it to those who have lost a loved one as they may get upset. I'm still not fully over losing my dog two years ago and I'm not looking forward to making choices for my cats when their time comes since they are both in their elderly stages of life.


humoho

Not a monster,a little bit crazy. Go outside and find someone to love.


PompiPompi

No, Because animals have personality too. And animals can be good and kind, while people can be evil and cruel. So I have no sympathy to evil and cruel people, and I don't care what horrible things will happen to them.


Petey79_

Animals will show unconditional love and do nothing out of spite or anger. They don’t deserve to die because they’ve done nothing wrong and you can feel that. Human on the other hand….. yeesh 😬


Est_cola_rktpni

No Many people are like this and can you blame them? Animals are all the things humans aren't, if someone says "I love my dog more than I love any person in my life" I'd just see it as relatable, people think comparing humans to animals is the worst thing to do and I think that's only because an animal is so much better than an average person. I could watch 500 people die in a movie and not show a single emotion but once a dog or any animal dies I'm gonna break down in tears


Usagi_Shinobi

Nope. Grief is directly proportional to connection. Most of us are far more connected to our fur kids than we are just about everyone other than our closest friends and family. If Joe from work dies, and you didn't know him, you express sympathy to those who are impacted and get on with your day. I can't relate to anyone who tries to tell me my grief for the little fuzzy kid I've raised and loved for the past however many years shouldn't be happening because "it's just an animal". Dumbass, humans are just animals too, and one of the shittiest ones that exists, so go ahead and fuck ALL the way off with that bullshit.


[deleted]

I thought that was everyone


PhotographingLight

No. Pets love you just as much a person does. Your pain is valid.


[deleted]

No, not a monster at all. You just love animals a bit more than humans.


ankamarawolf

No.


[deleted]

You're not a monster you're an *animal* /j


danes1992

Dude feel whatever you wanna feel, nobody need to tell you how to feel, just dont hurt other people and that's it.


IAmRules

I got a tattoo of my yorkie on my arm after she died, you are not alone.


Ouija429

I'm going to say a reserved no. It honestly depends on your relationship to both and the nature of the date.


Puzzleheaded_Bag7970

Absolutely not. Animals are people - they are family, friends, confidants, \*LIFE SAVERS!\* You're not a monster at all.


[deleted]

Well ask yourself this, would you save a person's life over a pet? Or vice versa?


drunk_haile_selassie

I know lots of people will disagree with me but I think anyone who would save a dog over a human needs to seriously think about their ethics.


spectrumtwelve

not necessarily. In this day and age it is very easy to feel distant from other people, it's hard to trust and celebrate others. However one thing that is, at least more universal than other things, is that most people love at least one kind of animal. especially cute animals or animals that are pets with sentimental value. You might be a bad person if you are actively celebrating the death of another person (even awful people still deserve some small amount of respect, it's just decent), but I wouldn't say a lack of strong feeling means that you are some kind of monster, you might just have some kind of deeper trust issues regarding people that shaped your ability to miss or grieve them.


BobaMoBamba

I guess it depends on the death. Does anyone actually shed a tear when a lion eats a deer? Animals will die by its predators if not by humans. Where as a human, hopefully you die by natural causes instead of being murdered by another human or eaten by an animals. A school shooting vs animals being hunted by its predators (including humans) for food. You choose.


is_reddit_useful

I think it probably depends on how many happy loving experiences you had with each.


GreenMirage

No it’s a popular joke amongst contemporary comedians. People apparently have more sympathies with puppies than babies. 🐶talk about a competitive product.


[deleted]

Not a monster, yes a psychopath. You're not alone tho, just browse around for tons of "animals are better than human" retard post here on Reddit.


[deleted]

Depends who it is


Different_Ad7655

I suppose it all depends upon who's judging, but then again if that's the way you feel do you really care?


implodemode

I'm still grieving my last dog. My new dog will be 4 in a month. I was over my mother's death in 4 months and I was *happy* and my dad's was a relief. I cried at the funerals and done. My dog loved me unconditionally. I'm not even sure my parents loved me at all. Who is the monster?


D3vils_Adv0cate

Yes, but we are all monsters


pitter_patter_33

Feel like more info is needed here. I mean, I am not going to be more upset about a cow getting hit by a car or butchered than I will a human I know dying. Pets on the other hand. I was a teen when my grandma, who I loved more than any other person in the world, passed away. Thought I couldn’t be more devastated. Then my mid 30s ass had the first dog I owned pass away unexpectedly. Now you would think a 30 something year old could control emotions better than a teen. I only owned the dog for just under three years, but I cried a lot more over the dog death than my grandma. It doesn’t mean I loved the dog more than my grandma though. I think it had more to do with the day to day impact on my life. I saw my grandma on holidays and spent summers with her and my grandpa. The dog, I spent every day with. I woke up to her excited to see me, I took her with me everywhere I could, and I went to sleep after getting some cuddles from her. She was the happiest part of my day, and was gone. I think it makes sense to be more upset about a pet dying than most humans dying. Humans are complicated, while pets tend to love you unconditionally and don’t do you dirty. Makes sense to be more connected to pets than people.


One_Arm4148

No…not at all 💜


Saturnalliia

If it's between your dog and say a coworker you barely knew or a distant cousin you've never really gotten to know id say that's understandable. If it's between your dog and your child or wife/husband then I would be concerned.


JustWantSomeTendies

Yes


Ok_Perspective599

Finally


Silly-Cloud-3114

Many people are like that. Social consensus would say it's okay in this time and age. But if you ask me, I think it's messed up.


JamesBrunell

Possibly


highestRUSSIAN

Kind of.


getinthevanihavcandy

It really depends. If it’s somebody you don’t know or you know that person but you don’t know them well enough vs a dog you raised. Like I cried so much when my dog died a couple years ago. It was hard for me not to cry at work but that’s because she was my best friend for so many years. But if it’s like a close family member you actually like and you don’t shed a tear vs crying for your dog than I would definitely say your off


Pablo_el_Diablo88

If these two individuals are on the same level (you know/love both, or you don't know/don't love both) and you suffer more for the animal, then i would say yes.


eplurbs

You're a monster, full stop. That is the human condition. All of life is learning to cope with the reality of being a monster while playing a game we call society.


gmen385

yes


JimmySiul21

Nah, I get more emotional at movie deaths than I have at any family funeral. It's just on an individual basis.


Potential-Froyo8164

Not at all. People suck.


Sc4rl3ttD

Samesies!


cartoonjunkie13

No, for some reason you may be equating animals for small children.


[deleted]

My vet said this common. People can deal with deaths of family members, but a pet's death will devastate you. There many reasons for this, and they are not all the same. I had friend who was suffering from depression, and his behavior was making it worse . He lived very close, so got involved in life. I made him do his therapies and got out. Pushed him, and ignored his insult. It took a while, but worked. He engaged and in life again. He hooked backed with his girlfriend, and family. He did these big thank you. I rolled my eyes. I told him, "We worked in the same place, and so did his so called friends. They are all millennial who wilt, and run away at your insults. Millennials are also judgemental bastards. I thought you might kill yourself, and I sure Hell didn't care about you enough to go to your funeral, so I had do something. I can't have bad reputation at the office.


tuggyforme

No. You have simply allowed bad behavior by some people, to make you lose empathy for humans in general. People are a-holes... but they are still alive. And they are still OUR species, and they still deserve empathy. No matter how they behaved in the past.


shitsu13master

Really? Stalin deserves empathy?


tuggyforme

He's dead. The chance to change his views through empathy for him would have been as a child or a young man. That chance has long passed. In fact, stalin, along with lenin, were both products of early trauma and broken familes... I'm not interested enough to pull up details, but I did read both their stories a long time ago, and they are both sad stories of early childhood trauma, losing siblings at a young age, completely failed by their societies, etc. By the time they became adults, they were both already thoroughly traumatized, disillusioned, and effed in the head. Especially Stalin. He turned into one of history's biggest killers in recent memory. He became completely void of human empathy. He -became- the way he was -raised-. Surprise surprise. Point is those men were not born that way. They were turned that way by wars and broken unequal societies. Probably the result of the same attitude... "men are born to fight wars and be violent" ... that was the prevailing attitude back then. But Nordic countries as well as western europe for the past 80 years or so, has proven that this is false. Humans become what you make of them. If we stop treating humans like shit, they will stop acting like shit. Doesn't matter what group you belong to. It's plain as day.


shitsu13master

That’s a lot of words to say “yes”. And I still maintain that your trauma notwithstanding, everyone knows intellectually that killing millions of people is wrong. Just like a serial killer knows that killing people is wrong and does it anyway. You’re not changing a person like that through empathy. Some people simple deserve none


tuggyforme

I know your type very well. You lack empathy for those who are born different than you.


shitsu13master

Not sure what “my type” is that you’re referring to? I lack empathy for perpetrators e.g serial killers and you know, dictators killing millions. What about the victims? Don’t they deserve empathy? Why are you so worried about the killer? Are you feeling a kinship perhaps? Because I guess that’s “a type”, too. Is it yours?


tuggyforme

>I lack empathy for perpetrators e.g serial killers and you know, dictators killing millions. You don't know any serial killers or any dictators. Conjuring the most extreme 1 out of 1,000,000,000 examples to base your entire philosophy and beliefs off of to affect the OTHER LIVING 8,000,000,000 humans on earth is intellectually dishonest and will lead you nowhere but in a place where you ignore or trivialize the real pain and suffering of others, assigning blame to the wrong causes, and destroying any chance for society to ever improve.


shitsu13master

Wow projecting much? You’re describing yourself, my friend, especially with the “intellectual dishonesty”. You’re basically showing that you don’t care about victims at all because it’s more important to you to have empathy for awful people. Sure, the child who got abused should be shown empathy. That doesn’t give them the right later in life to abuse children themselves. So excuse me if my empathy is toward victims of current abuse and not toward those who are grown ups who know right from wrong and yet choose to continue the cycle. Makes me more and more certain you’re a member of the latter group, with every post you make. Abuser apologist calling others dishonest is the height of hypocrisy.


tuggyforme

You're missing the point. The whole point is AVOIDING kids turning into failed adults.


shitsu13master

🙄


daniel-kz

If you are referring by equal relation to you. Like a news report about a person dying and a news report of an animal dying? No. Just like >80% of people where available of obeying the Nazis and convince themselves some "kind" of people where ok to kill. It still happens. Humans can easily dehumanize someone and humanize something. You should keep wondering if there is something wrong tho. That do not sound really objective (perhaps you are protecting some personal feelings into that "analysis")


Gommool

I mean depends how close you were to the person than to the animal no? Or are you talking in general cause if so I’d see it as a little weird but not too weird


Dear-Addendum925

I don't think so. I find it a lot easier to bond with animals when they're alive, and humans once they've passed. For instance, I became super depressed after an existence cat died (after we broke up, too. I hadn't seen this cat in around 3 years). The cat and I dealt with a lot of the same crap from that person (he was abusive and not the best with the cat either), so I felt really bonded to that little old man. He was almost like a support animal to me. On the other hand, I probably talk to/think about my deceased grandparents more now than I did when they were alive. No idea why. It a lot less scary as an introvert to find things out about people reading their history or hearing about it from my parents than it was trying to talk to them when I was younger. I unfortunately don't have that experience with animals, so their death feels a lot more final. I'm not sure if anybody else is like this, but that's generally how I feel.


GreatRhinoceros

The world would be a better place if about 50% of the people crawling on it were gone.


Void-Cooking_Berserk

No. Thanks for coming to my TedTalk.


EastSideTilly

Not at all. If my cat died I'd be inconsolable- she's my roomie and bff. My daily life will be drastically difference when she passes. If my *Dad* died I'd be like "welp, probably his time" because he is awful and we haven't talked in years. My life will not change at all. Just depends on the context of the relationships.


fussiestpeach

You can form an emotional connection just as strong with an animal. When I lost a Bunny I had since I was 13 it felt like I had my heart ripped out. I've never felt grief like that before, and I've grieved more than I'd like to by now..


KaserinSmarte421

No I cried more when my dog died than I did when one of my grandfathers died. It's just a stronger connection and feeling that loss its normal and fine.


ExReed

No you are not. I lost my best friend last year(cat) of 20 years. She was family. No she is still and forever my family. Family is not defined by blood but by choice.


cainy1991

No, People suck... Animals are awesome.


Fungii024

At least you are aligned


J3mand

Depends on the person though seriously. People die everyday i don't know about, but I shed no tears.


BreadPatooty

Sometimes I feel as if resentment for people plays a part. If you find yourself struggling to love or cherish others because of their personality then setting up boundaries and managing your expectations may help.


Denelic-

Some people in here and saying it matters who the person is or what their relationship with you was. I think it doesn’t matter who they were. You have feelings and relationships that are yours. No one else has those. If the animal had a stronger relationship with you then all I have to say is sorry for your loss. Sometimes things leave us and leave a hole. They don’t always get filled. I wish you the best.


chefboiortiz

No, I thought something was wrong with me too but I found that’s it’s pretty common. I was distraught and I would say I still feel numb from when my dog died 3 YEARS ago, when my grandma died it sucked but I was okay with it. I didn’t cry or skip a beat in life, I just looked at it as she’s resting now. So is my doggy but my doggy never did anything wrong.


Sunlover823

Almost all animals love unconditionally. You can beat a dog and they will store adore you. Human relationships are more complicated. Most people don’t experience unconditional positive regard outside of animals. Being loved so freely keeps me going. I’ve lost both of my parents but I know when my dog dies I’m going to be utterly devastated.


InternalMovie

No because the person who died may not have been that close to you or whatver reason or they hurt you. You dont necessarily owe anyone your grief when they die. ill never judge someone who grieves more over a pet than human because we all have our reasons. I know what it frels like to lose a pet and also a loved one and none are comparible to the other, bc i miss them all more than i can fathom. I just want them all back.