In the latest case of dumb things dumb people do because they are dumb and think dumb… ethicists have suggested that calling animals “pets” is demeaning and dehumanising.
“Despite its prevalence, ‘pets’ is surely a derogatory term both of the animals concerned and their human carers…”
Domestic dogs, cats, hamsters or budgerigars should be rebranded as “companion animals” while owners should be known as “human carers”, they insist.
Even terms such as wildlife are dismissed as insulting to the animals concerned – who should instead be known as “free-living”, the academics including an Oxford professor suggest.
The worst thing about the findings of this pro-animal journal:
“It is edited by the Revd Professor Andrew Linzey, a theologian and director of the Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics, who once received an honorary degree from the Archbishop of Canterbury for his work promoting the rights of “God’s sentient creatures”.”
That’s some great theology right there. Because animals have sensitive egos.
Also. We can’t talk about bad human actions in terms of animal behaviour:
“Phrases such as “sly as a fox, “eat like a pig” or “drunk as a skunk” are all unfair to animals.”
It’s this sort of thinking that leads to the development of stupid weasel words. I mean. Vacuous and empty phrases that lack any grace or clarity.