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Hey i just wanna know are raccoons evil in some kind of way ?
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this post was submitted on 07 May 2024
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Animals can't be evil. They're amoral. They don't philosophize, they don't feel guilt; they don't comprehend life in the same way that we do. Both cruelty and mercy are human constructs. All animals can do is try to guarantee survival for themselves and their offspring. They've all evolved into a specific niche, and these behaviors you deride are just instincts that have successfully ensured the survival of their ancestors, and so were passed on. If you can't handle the idea that animals in general sometimes kill to survive, get a plant
We're animals. Like all social animals we have behavioral norms and individuals who violate them in circumstances that benefit them.
Many animals display empathy, both in their behavior and neurology. Many animals understand, remember and display reciprocity. Many animals mourn. Many animals show strong evidence of forming assessments of individuals from other species.
Our actions are determined by the sum total of our genetics, experience and social expectations, same as any other social animal.
But not a Venus flytrap. Or a pitcher plant. Or rafflesia. Or...
A Venus flytrap doesn't kill to survive. It hugs to death, and then since the body is there it just makes sure it doesn't go to waste. Big difference.
And still some animals prefer only select few others and only some humans . They are capable of affection as we can see with dog and their owners or dogs and their kids . I think they do feel sadness, happyness, love etc. Atleast a version of it so I don't think all they are capable of is survival instinct .
They can do those things because they've been beneficial. Cats domesticated themselves because living with humans makes them safer. Their meows are cute, because that makes us want to protect them. They are absolutely capable of love, but they're still animals
That describes human behavior just as well.
You're right in this, and your other comment, but if OP isn't ready for "sometimes animals eat each other in nature," I don't think they're ready for the complexities of what it means to be human, and the fact that we are also animals, but have some unique behaviors
I agree with you pretty much everything you said, I just think that drawing a strong distinction between any one species and every other one mischaracterizes the situation. Evil is a human construct that applies as poorly to human behaviour as to the behaviour of every other animal, for the same reasons.
If you'll excuse me simplifying your point, "They're animals of course they do that, evil doesn't come into it" is not quite as accurate as "We're all animals, evil doesn't come into it", to my mind at least. Because OP didn't just misunderstand an aspect of non-human animals, they misunderstood an aspect of how life works.
My dog definitely seems to feel guilt, what is your source?
What we perceive as "guilt" from domestic dogs is generally classified as a fear/submission display. It's anthropomorphizing. Not saying that dogs don't have feelings. They absolutely do. Guilt and shame, however, are likely not in their pallette.