L
Lost_Wanderer
Guest
I’m putting this in the Popular Media section because the themes I’m about to explore are often found in a lot of movies, games, and books where mankind is in a constant fight for survival.
I’m not talking about zombie apocalypses or the breakdown of society. I’m simply talking about fictional scenarios where man is often at risk from abuse from particularly dangerous and powerful animals. In these works of fiction, said animals are presented as stronger, fiercer, and if left uncontrolled, can wind up devouring humanity.
Whether it’s a world dominated by dragons and wyverns to a futuristic version of our world under constant attack by interdimensional kaiju, these are scenarios where animals are a threat to human existence.
In contrast, we humans are constantly depicted as the consumers of this world. We’ve indeed wiped out several species to extinction and it’s a tragedy. It is indeed, as our Pope says, “a slap in the face of nature.”
My concern is this though, does our abuse take away the fact that man has a right to hunt lest he be the one hunted?
See, when I read these big monster stories, I actually see the beasts reducing man back to the historical period where we indeed had to fight other animals for survival. We dominated them in due time, just as the good guys finally dominate and slay the big, bad scaly menace in your typical dungeon. That doesn’t mean that there wasn’t a point in history where animals were a serious threat to our survival as a species.
This is often my main punchline to the animal rights camp. They think animals as cuddly, helpless critters without any means of defense. In that sense, I actually have more respect for beasts than they have. I know that there was once a time where animals could easily trample our fragile bones, crush our skulls, and impale us easily upon their tusks.
Contrary to what they believe, plenty animals don’t care for anything but their hardwired instinct for survival. They will kill us, not so much for revenge but simply because we’re perceived as either a territorial threat or their next munchie.
Rabbits don’t care if they overpopulate. Lions don’t care if they’re eating an elephant or an elderly tribesman. It’s usually us humans who end up learning about how these all interact and how we can hurt or help the balance of nature.
Thus, going back to the thread title, why is it that some believe animals can never abuse humans as badly as we have?
I’m not talking about zombie apocalypses or the breakdown of society. I’m simply talking about fictional scenarios where man is often at risk from abuse from particularly dangerous and powerful animals. In these works of fiction, said animals are presented as stronger, fiercer, and if left uncontrolled, can wind up devouring humanity.
Whether it’s a world dominated by dragons and wyverns to a futuristic version of our world under constant attack by interdimensional kaiju, these are scenarios where animals are a threat to human existence.
In contrast, we humans are constantly depicted as the consumers of this world. We’ve indeed wiped out several species to extinction and it’s a tragedy. It is indeed, as our Pope says, “a slap in the face of nature.”
My concern is this though, does our abuse take away the fact that man has a right to hunt lest he be the one hunted?
See, when I read these big monster stories, I actually see the beasts reducing man back to the historical period where we indeed had to fight other animals for survival. We dominated them in due time, just as the good guys finally dominate and slay the big, bad scaly menace in your typical dungeon. That doesn’t mean that there wasn’t a point in history where animals were a serious threat to our survival as a species.
This is often my main punchline to the animal rights camp. They think animals as cuddly, helpless critters without any means of defense. In that sense, I actually have more respect for beasts than they have. I know that there was once a time where animals could easily trample our fragile bones, crush our skulls, and impale us easily upon their tusks.
Contrary to what they believe, plenty animals don’t care for anything but their hardwired instinct for survival. They will kill us, not so much for revenge but simply because we’re perceived as either a territorial threat or their next munchie.
Rabbits don’t care if they overpopulate. Lions don’t care if they’re eating an elephant or an elderly tribesman. It’s usually us humans who end up learning about how these all interact and how we can hurt or help the balance of nature.
Thus, going back to the thread title, why is it that some believe animals can never abuse humans as badly as we have?
. They are now spoiled rotten. It is their house, they just tolerate me - as long as I keep the dinner dish full and the water bowl filled, and the heat on.
But when you don’t listen to them they will whine and whine until you get up and open the door!
But, of course I know there was no ill-will behind it, and the same goes for the shark who bites me in the ocean, or the bee who stings me in the yard. They are just following instinct, so there is no real abuse.
)