Are animals nicer than people?

[gemmabe]

My answer would be...yes!

Animals seem to sense when you need a cuddle and comfort you when you're sad. People just open their big mouths and make you cry. My cats are members of my family, in many ways I am closer to them than I am most people. They seem to "know" what you're thinking. Does anyone else feel this?

[Tracee]

I'd agree with you for pets - domesticated, trained housepets that is.

But most animals are primarily driven by instinct and as far as 'survival of the fittest' goes, humanity ('nice'ness) isn't a luxury they can afford.

[gemmabe]

That's how we are though isn't it - survival of the fittest - I think it's only our children we protect above ourselves.

[dmsjps]

Oh yes, my pet animals are much nicer than most people I know, with the odd exception: they can pick up on your moods without any problems at all and then provide whatever's needed to help.

[blanx]

3 weeks ago my Mum died and I went to visit my Nan and started crying.  Her cat (used to be my cat till she got so attached to her while I was on holiday once I couldn't bring myself to take her back) climbed onto the table and put her face again my face and sat there.  It was just like a hug.....

[cat woman]

Hi gemmabe, Yes I think pets are more nicer, they dont answer back for starters, they give unconditional love without strings attached, they dont tell tales, lie or give your secrets away, and they give so much joy and ask for so little.  I love my 3 to bits and spoil them rotten, bless their little hearts.     :-)

[maggie01]

pets give unconditional love. All they ask for is a warm bed food and love. Not much really and they reward you tenfold.

[Aschenbach]

Aren't we animals too?

There is a safety and security in a non-verbal relationship with pet. It's not going to hurt your feelings is it? But they can't teach us much either . I also think a cat would kill you if it was big enough.

[Trillipse]

the non-verbal thing i think is the key. we've screwed our instincts up by eating from that old tree of knowledge. hence our intentions and motivations become infinitely more complicated (hence we're different from the rest of nature...)

BUT

at least we can actively decide to be unselfish/altruistic (may not happen much, but is possible) to others not related to us. Not even a lovely tree (in my mind the epitome of perfect natural behaviour) can exhibit such niceness.

the fact of course that we're supposedly endowed with free will isn't a virtue we can take credit for, but what we do with it can better us.

So, thinking about my two retrievers lying on top of each other downstairs, i'd say animals can certainly be pre-disposed to be what we'd call Nice, but i wouldn't say they've got a choice about it.

i guess it comes down to whether you want to give someone credit for their innate/default nature or the direction of their will.

or do you want the long answer? ;-)

[Fat Boy]

dunno bout that. I've been bitten, scratched & had my possessions shat on by more cats than people

[gemmabe]

Ahh, but has a cat ever broken your heart?