Quote:
Originally Posted by Adak
No doubt that it is our reality, Flint. That reality's effect on us is definitely on a sliding scale, however. No one is going to be strongly shocked by a carrot or head of lettuce, hanging from a constrictor's tight coils.
When it's a pet, it's a lot more affecting, of course. If it were your child, or spouse, the effect would be incredibly strong.
It's a natural reaction to help us remember "snake's coils are deadly", and stay safe.
Inferences of mental health based on the person's sensitivity to that stimuli, are unfounded. As you've shown, that sensitivity will change, depending on their exposure to it.
|
Thank you. I see that you have understood the actual issue, and have helped to clarify.
You are correct, a person's sensitivity to stimuli will change depending on their exposure to it. Therefore, it seems that a person has two choices when faced with reality, #1: turn away, and choose to remain sheltered and unable to deal with the real world, or #2: assimilate the new information, embrace it, and advance as a person.
You are correct, I was wrong to state this as a mental health issue. It is actually a maturity issue. A mature person will be able to see an image of a natural death (the kind which occurs billions of times every day) and fully understand what it is, what it means...and it will not be traumatic to them.
You are correct, there is a sliding scale upon which people idenify household pets as family members. I subscribe to that. However, it is actually DISRESPECTFUL to the animal to anthropomorphize its psychological characteristics. When I see the image of the snake and the cat, I naturally empathize more with the "victim" in the image. I do not simply, selfishly, regard the animal as a "teddy bear" that lives within my home, but I fully respect that animal as a predator with its own way of living life. I do not believe that the cat as a species is ignorant about the realities of life and death. In empathizing with the cat psychology, I do not apply my own "soft" human feelings. I am actually being MORE sensitive. I am RESPECTING nature, for what it is.
I insist that to be repulsed by this image is to be truly ignorant and immature.