Did your dad ask you to do it because he couldn't kill them himself? or he just couldn't be bothered. In situations like this I agree it is for a good reason. I don't however agree with these hunters who head out with their buddies, get drunk and go into the woods for a day of shooting practice.
I think it's fun to step on ants. So what?
- Thread starter Thrylix
- Start date
Did your dad ask you to do it because he couldn't kill them himself? or he just couldn't be bothered. In situations like this I agree it is for a good reason. I don't however agree with these hunters who head out with their buddies, get drunk and go into the woods for a day of shooting practice.
I think it is good reason when they are destroying your personal property repeatedly. I know there are catch and release traps as you said. But sometimes if you leave something dead (mouse) in a trap for a couple days, it is almost like the others get a SIGN DANGER!!! lol Lets get the hell out of here, Like Nietzche said above. I don't feel good about it. I actually feel kinda bad because when you really look at little brown field mice they are pretty damn cute!!
Green freak......hmmmmmmm That would be Tiassa everytime he flips on his mod hat!
Enmos
Valued Senior Member
I think it is good reason when they are destroying your personal property repeatedly. I know there are catch and release traps as you said. But sometimes if you leave something dead (mouse) in a trap for a couple days, it is almost like the others get a SIGN DANGER!!! lol Lets get the hell out of here, Like Nietzche said above. I don't feel good about it. I actually feel kinda bad because when you really look at little brown field mice they are pretty damn cute!!
Green freak......hmmmmmmm That would be Tiassa everytime he flips on his mod hat!
lol
Well, maybe I am a 'green freak' in a way. I even feel bad when a bug hits my windshield..
I am weird that way..
lol
Well, maybe I am a 'green freak' in a way. I even feel bad when a bug hits my windshield..
I am weird that way..
Yeah you are a freak
I have more things to worry about than that!!Like the asshole behind me that is in such a rush they are going to run me off the road, while talking on their cellphone.
Enmos
Valued Senior Member
Yeah you are a freak
Like the asshole behind me that is in such a rush they are going to run me off the road, while talking on their cellphone.
Heh.. what can I say, life is awesome.
And that's where we reach an impasse. If it's perfectly acceptable to kill bugs by accident, then why isn't it perfectly acceptable to kill humans by accident?
Why is it no problem if I accidently demolish an anthill while I'm out running and flatten the bodies of dozens of ants beneath my feet, but if I'm joyriding in my car and I run someone over because I'm leaning down to drink some water, it's negligent, reckless, wrong, etc? In the eyes of most, running someone over on accident is definitely not okay, and that stance assumes that because humans are more complex life forms, they are more deserving of life than bugs. Isn't that right? Yup. That's why I typically dismiss the arguments of those who say "It's only okay if you do it by accident" while also saying "all life deserves equal respect."
Enmos
Valued Senior Member
What ? You mean it isn't acceptable to kill humans by accident ?
And even if it wasn't you would have no point. It seems kinda natural to look out for your own species more, but given human intellelect it would rather be arrogance than natural behaviour in our case.
See above.
Those values are not absolute they are made up by HUMANS.
Can't argue with that logic. Nice post.
Probably why a lot of buddhists will not even kill a mosquito biting on them(i've seen it). Someone thought the same exact thoughts 5500 years ago, isn't that cool?
And that's the distinction, and that's what most fail to realize. It should be clear that I don't have equal respect for all lifeforms. The way I see it, ants are animals, and I am an animal too. I'm a much larger, more intelligent, and all around more superior animal, but an animal nonetheless. As such, if I'm higher up on the evolutionary ladder of power so if I feel like stepping on a few ants out of idle boredom, why shouldn't I? It doesn't hurt me in any way. It just kills the puny lifeform that, from my perspective, is insignificant and it affords me a small measure of amusement.
It's a shame that killing animals amuses you.
Perhaps if you spent some time learning about ants and other "puny" lifeforms you would have more respect for them and not feel so inclined to kill them. Do you realise that us humans depend on other animals, large and small, for our own survival?
Of course I know that. But these are ants. Really small, really unimportant. I don't depend on them. I don't care what happens to them.
If by some miracle it was discovered that ants are actually sentient, thinking creatures, I might not kill them anymore. Maybe I'd even feel bad about the enormous number of the puny things that I've squashed for fun. But probably not that bad. It's not like it's murder.
Other than that, I don't see any reason to change my ways. Do you?
I don't get the buddhist philosophy either. If ants and mosquitos were reincarnated people, wouldn't I be doing them a favor by smashing them?
Enmos
Valued Senior Member
Thrylix, you are a typical human.
by your own ideology therefore, the mosquitos are doing people a favor by making them sick with influenza virus.
That might be a fact but, how many people really look at ants as actual animals? Be honest. I'm not trying to defend anyone here. I'm just being real. This shouldn't even be a topic.
Enmos
Valued Senior Member