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Comment by makerofspoons | Hacker News Reader

I wonder if the same feelings people have for pets could be instead replaced with volunteering in one's community, making human best friends and giving oneself purpose.

I'm not in disagreement with you on that last part- extravagances like amusement parks, gadgets, and restaurants should be appropriately taxed until the resources they consume come down to sustainable levels. Everything needs to be scaled back.

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I wonder if the same feelings people have for pets could be instead replaced with volunteering in one's community, making human best friends and giving oneself purpose.

Keep on wondering, because I doubt anyone will bend over to fit your view of the world. Starting with the foundational point that you have no idea why people have pets at the individual level, or even macro based on what you've post so far on the subject.

EDIT: you also assume that pet owners don't already volunteer, have human best friends, and feel that they have purpose. The pretense is strong in this one.

I made no such assumption. There is nothing that can be done about the animals that are already here. But someone considering an animal for their mental well-being might be better served volunteering instead. The data shows adding an animal to your lifestyle increases your environmental impact considerably. Working in the community garden adds almost nothing and potentially would provide the same positive effect.

So would going to a gym. But it's easier to build a habit of taking care of something you love at home than doing a chore you have to drive/walk across town to do.

Well put. The pet is going to be a source of companionship and happiness even if you're too tired to go volunteer or hit the gym. It's also more than just an endorphin hit or not being alone; it's a complex and rewarding relationship.

To the original poster - humans have been keeping pets since prehistoric times [0]. Behavioral patterns which have been ingrained into our genetic makeup & the collective subconscious for 10,000-40,000 years probably aren't going to change much in the next 100 or even 1000 years.

I fundamentally agree that we need to reduce our carbon footprint as a species, but feel we fundamentally disagree on the emotional and spiritual benefits of owning a pet. Regardless, I hope we can at least agree that it may be easier and more effective to start by looking at more modern, less ingrained, and higher-output sources of carbon.

[0] https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/ask-s...

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