pet politics
I’m a little late on this one, but a couple of weeks ago Will Wilkinson posted about a TED talk by Jonathan Haidt in which Haidt discusses some differences between liberals and conservatives. Will’s post is smart and provocative, and I commend it to you, but at the moment I want to talk about something else.
At one point in his talk Haidt discusses the differences between conservative and liberal thinking about buying dogs. Yes, dogs. The key question goes like this: “I'd be more likely to get a dog that was. . . “
(a) “Independent-minded and relates to its owner as a friend and equal,” or
(b) "Extremely loyal to its home and family, and doesn't warm up quickly to strangers."
Haidt says that liberals tend to choose (a) and conservatives tend to choose (b). Okay . . . but what if I want a dog that’s friendly to strangers but comes when I call her? Would that make me a moderate? Or maybe a Distributist? Yeah, that’s probably it: I’m a natural Distributist.
Anyway, maybe I’m just congenitally illiberal, but it seems to me that anyone who thinks that he or she wants a dog who will “relate to its owner as an equal” is utterly nuts. Do you seriously want a dog who will come only when she thinks you’ve given her adequate reasons for doing so? Do you want an animal companion who expects you to come when she calls as often as vice versa? Granted, it would be nice to have a dog who puts out food for me twice a day and picks up after me when I crap in the neighbor’s yard. . . . but overall, I don't think the equality thing is likely to work out, pet-wise. Maybe I should think it over some more.
seems like there are defeater reasons in both choices. people don’t generally want their dog to be mean to strangers, either. The question is what you value more—loyalty or friendliness.
p.s. i’m a moderate liberal and i would pick (b).
— raft · Nov 18, 03:59 AM · #
I’m a conservative of indeterminate value, and I was leaning toward (a). Then again, another word for a dog who is “independent-minded and relates to its owner as a friend and equal” is “cat.”
Also, as cat-lovers know, an animal that “relates to its owner as an equal” can be entirely desirable, but the owner is under no obligation to suffer a similar delusion. Many cat-owners do, unfortunately, but that’s not my problem.
— Blar · Nov 18, 04:24 AM · #
I met a wolf/shepherd/malamute mix once that certainly commanded respect. It was a very impressive dog. Not overly aggressive, it just had a presence to it.
— Cascadian · Nov 18, 07:46 AM · #
Do you know where one can find an independent-minded dog that relates to its owner as a friend and equal and is also hypoallergenic? Oh, and also, it has to be from a shelter. I have a friend who needs one like that.
— len · Nov 18, 09:39 AM · #
Can you know these things when you buy a mix? Our beagle mix thinks she’s my equal, but not my husband’s. We boss each other around. She’s loyal to us and friendly to strange dogs and known people.
— Julana · Nov 20, 02:06 AM · #
While you’re on the subject, why not have a moment of silence in observance of the passing of the World’s Ugliest Dog, just over a week ago? The poor dog had lost a leg and an eye, and needed the prize money for radiation treatments. The owner must be liberal, in compassion, and conservative, in preserving the life of such a needy dog.
— Julana · Nov 20, 02:19 AM · #
‘Then again, another word for a dog who is “independent-minded and relates to its owner as a friend and equal” is “cat.”’
All cats are “independent-minded”, and then some, but no cat, ever, has related to its owner as an equal.
Friend, yes, absolutely. I lost my friend of fifteen years just over 2 years ago. I still grieve.
But equal? Not a chance.
— William · Nov 20, 08:14 PM · #