Comments on: Adorable or what? Not http://cultureby.com/2004/06/_adorable_or_wh.html This Blog Sits At the Intersection of Anthropology and Economics Wed, 08 Feb 2012 08:43:22 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: tash http://cultureby.com/2004/06/_adorable_or_wh.html/comment-page-1#comment-8004 tash Fri, 30 Sep 2005 02:42:24 +0000 http://localhost/wp_culture/?p=1193#comment-8004 its really good its really good

]]> By: sarah http://cultureby.com/2004/06/_adorable_or_wh.html/comment-page-1#comment-8003 sarah Mon, 28 Jun 2004 15:15:27 +0000 http://localhost/wp_culture/?p=1193#comment-8003 Your questions get closer to the crux of my discomfort, Grant. I can see (although not necessarily subscribe to) a belief that living beings shouldn't be commoditized, as impractical as it sounds. Issues such as organ donation run parallel to the question of commoditizing animals. The consequences of using life forms to satisfy a particular supply/demand construct are often devastating or at least exploitative. The presence of a demand does not mean that a supply should exist. To make an overly dramatic simile, there was a demand for slave labor in the US at one point, which was filled by a commercial supply - however, that demand was judged to be one not deserving of fulfillment. My desire (demand) for a pet turtle does not mean there should necessarily be a commercial supply (especially if I wanted a particularly rare or endangered turtle species). Pets do indeed create a lot of happiness (as well as some more quantifiable benefits) for their owners. But I also see pet ownership as a luxury (assuming one is willing and able to provide a decent standard of living, including adequate health care and living conditions), whereas obtaining a kidney transplant necessary for my survival is much less of a luxury item - although being able to pay for one on the black market certainly would place me on the demand-side of some luxury consumer goods. I resist placing 'pet ownership' and 'new kidney' on a scale opposite potential exinction or human rights violations - but these are the big questions that come to mind when I'm down at the pet store. Thanks for continuing the dialogue. Reference: Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, March 1999 v47 i3 p323(7). Influence of companion animals on the physical and psychological health of older people: an analysis of a one-year longitudinal study. Parminder Raina; David Waltner-Toews; Brenda Bonnett; Christel Woodward; Tom Abernathy. New York Turtle and Tortise Society: http://nytts.org/asianturtlecrisis.html New Internationalist, April 1998 i300 p14-17. New cannibalism. Nancy Scheper-Hughes. Your questions get closer to the crux of my discomfort, Grant. I can see (although not necessarily subscribe to) a belief that living beings shouldn’t be commoditized, as impractical as it sounds. Issues such as organ donation run parallel to the question of commoditizing animals.
The consequences of using life forms to satisfy a particular supply/demand construct are often devastating or at least exploitative.

The presence of a demand does not mean that a supply should exist. To make an overly dramatic simile, there was a demand for slave labor in the US at one point, which was filled by a commercial supply – however, that demand was judged to be one not deserving of fulfillment. My desire (demand) for a pet turtle does not mean there should necessarily be a commercial supply (especially if I wanted a particularly rare or endangered turtle species).

Pets do indeed create a lot of happiness (as well as some more quantifiable benefits) for their owners. But I also see pet ownership as a luxury (assuming one is willing and able to provide a decent standard of living, including adequate health care and living conditions), whereas obtaining a kidney transplant necessary for my survival is much less of a luxury item – although being able to pay for one on the black market certainly would place me on the demand-side of some luxury consumer goods.

I resist placing ‘pet ownership’ and ‘new kidney’ on a scale opposite potential exinction or human rights violations – but these are the big questions that come to mind when I’m down at the pet store.
Thanks for continuing the dialogue.

Reference: Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, March 1999 v47 i3 p323(7). Influence of companion animals on the physical and psychological health of older people: an analysis of a one-year longitudinal study. Parminder Raina; David Waltner-Toews; Brenda Bonnett; Christel Woodward; Tom Abernathy.

New York Turtle and Tortise Society: http://nytts.org/asianturtlecrisis.html

New Internationalist, April 1998 i300 p14-17. New cannibalism. Nancy Scheper-Hughes.

]]> By: Grant http://cultureby.com/2004/06/_adorable_or_wh.html/comment-page-1#comment-8002 Grant Sun, 27 Jun 2004 15:18:00 +0000 http://localhost/wp_culture/?p=1193#comment-8002 Sarah, thanks for your comment. What is it about the commercial supply of the pet that bothers you? If there is no incentive to sell pets, there would be no opportunity to buy them. And given all the happiness they create in the world, surely this would be a bad thing. No? Thanks, Grant Sarah, thanks for your comment. What is it about the commercial supply of the pet that bothers you? If there is no incentive to sell pets, there would be no opportunity to buy them. And given all the happiness they create in the world, surely this would be a bad thing. No? Thanks, Grant

]]> By: sarah http://cultureby.com/2004/06/_adorable_or_wh.html/comment-page-1#comment-8001 sarah Sun, 27 Jun 2004 02:27:54 +0000 http://localhost/wp_culture/?p=1193#comment-8001 Pets as a living entity to be bought or sold bothers me somewhat. If I was vegan, maybe I'd not want a pet for myself. I've thought a lot about getting a turtle recently - and am very uncomfortable with the actual process, the transaction of obtaining said turtle. I don't want to steal one from the wild (an appreciation for shared public goods, any economists want to take this up?), perhaps experiencing freedom makes capitivity that much more painful. But, I can't have that thought without wondering, if capitivity is painful, why do I want to cause pain to any animal, whether free-range or homegrown? Grant, do you know any ethicists or is that a separate sort of intersection? Pets as a living entity to be bought or sold bothers me somewhat. If I was vegan, maybe I’d not want a pet for myself. I’ve thought a lot about getting a turtle recently – and am very uncomfortable with the actual process, the transaction of obtaining said turtle. I don’t want to steal one from the wild (an appreciation for shared public goods, any economists want to take this up?), perhaps experiencing freedom makes capitivity that much more painful. But, I can’t have that thought without wondering, if capitivity is painful, why do I want to cause pain to any animal, whether free-range or homegrown? Grant, do you know any ethicists or is that a separate sort of intersection?

]]> By: Grant http://cultureby.com/2004/06/_adorable_or_wh.html/comment-page-1#comment-8000 Grant Tue, 15 Jun 2004 12:46:23 +0000 http://localhost/wp_culture/?p=1193#comment-8000 Steve, don't encourage the rule-makers. They are looking for more prohibitions. Dog-free starbucks. Come to think of it, this is odd isn't. We have driven smoke out and lets animals in. This is perhaps a dramatization of our evolutionary origins. When we finally got that fire going, dogs decided that trading warmth for domestication was an acceptable bargain. Or something. Steve, don’t encourage the rule-makers. They are looking for more prohibitions. Dog-free starbucks. Come to think of it, this is odd isn’t. We have driven smoke out and lets animals in. This is perhaps a dramatization of our evolutionary origins. When we finally got that fire going, dogs decided that trading warmth for domestication was an acceptable bargain. Or something.

]]> By: steve http://cultureby.com/2004/06/_adorable_or_wh.html/comment-page-1#comment-7999 steve Mon, 14 Jun 2004 19:21:07 +0000 http://localhost/wp_culture/?p=1193#comment-7999 This is one of those cultural trends I will have to deplore, despite being "child free." I do not like touching dogs, smelling dogs, listening to dogs, or being around dogs, nervously trying to predict whether or not an involuntary occasion to touch or smell or listen is about to happen. (Cats are only marginally better.) My only hope is that the health Nazis find something spuriously unhealthy about the critters so that I can guiltily luxuriate in a dog-free as well as smoke-free environment. This is one of those cultural trends I will have to deplore, despite being “child free.” I do not like touching dogs, smelling dogs, listening to dogs, or being around dogs, nervously trying to predict whether or not an involuntary occasion to touch or smell or listen is about to happen. (Cats are only marginally better.) My only hope is that the health Nazis find something spuriously unhealthy about the critters so that I can guiltily luxuriate in a dog-free as well as smoke-free environment.

]]> By: Grant http://cultureby.com/2004/06/_adorable_or_wh.html/comment-page-1#comment-7998 Grant Sun, 13 Jun 2004 22:15:20 +0000 http://localhost/wp_culture/?p=1193#comment-7998 Steve, The idea that we are turning former sit-com celebrities into dog food frankly revolts me. I think Brody is very wise to steer clear. Plenty of time for him to cultivate sit-com favorites of his own. Best, Grant Steve, The idea that we are turning former sit-com celebrities into dog food frankly revolts me. I think Brody is very wise to steer clear. Plenty of time for him to cultivate sit-com favorites of his own. Best, Grant

]]> By: Steve Portigal http://cultureby.com/2004/06/_adorable_or_wh.html/comment-page-1#comment-7997 Steve Portigal Sun, 13 Jun 2004 12:01:42 +0000 http://localhost/wp_culture/?p=1193#comment-7997 Eep. We're about 2 hours from going to pick up our new dog (a 3-year-old rescue Golden Retriever named Brody, if you must know). My very first pet, ever (the goldfish don't count, despite what my mom said). And I'm incredibly aware (and even eager) for the new opportunities for consumption that await me. We did a walk-through of a pet store on the way home from meeting Brody, and talked about what we wanted specifically, and generally. I rejected out-of-hand a "Dick Van Patten" brand of dog food, with conviction, but also Gen-X post-ironic curmudgeonliness - and then I expressed pleasure over having new crappy products to be opinionated about! Eep. We’re about 2 hours from going to pick up our new dog (a 3-year-old rescue Golden Retriever named Brody, if you must know). My very first pet, ever (the goldfish don’t count, despite what my mom said). And I’m incredibly aware (and even eager) for the new opportunities for consumption that await me. We did a walk-through of a pet store on the way home from meeting Brody, and talked about what we wanted specifically, and generally. I rejected out-of-hand a “Dick Van Patten” brand of dog food, with conviction, but also Gen-X post-ironic curmudgeonliness – and then I expressed pleasure over having new crappy products to be opinionated about!

]]>