I’m sure a lot of people reading are wondering why on earth I would dedicate an entire blog to my dislike of dogs, dog culture, and other dog issues. Well, the short answer of it is I don’t like dogs, I hate dog culture and “pet parent” issues, and I needed to seem some sanity in this world when it comes to dogs (be the change and all that).
I know that I’m not alone in those feelings or views, however in recent times it’s became almost taboo to say you don’t like dogs, or worse, that you don’t think dogs should be treated as people. And if you live within a relatively normal bubble, it would seem absurd that dogs have become that much of an issue someone would really blog about it. But I want to show you, dear reader, the reality that we unfortunately live in today, express my reasoning for my tiny little blog, and hopefully help to reset society’s normal meter in some small fashion.
It used to be that you could say, “I’m not really fond of dogs” and most people would accept that as a normal personal opinion, just like you could no like any other thing in the world. Now, so many people have tied their own identities to dogs that anything less than enthusiastic love for dogs is infinitely tied into another person’s worth or morality. There are droves of people who will come out of the woodwork the minute you say anything slightly critical of the dog-centric modern culture, that dangerous dogs should be put down, or that dogs don’t belong everywhere. It’s become so normalized to put humans second to dogs in many groups that people mauled and killed by dogs not only see very little justice, but are blamed for their own deaths and hundreds of thousands sign petitions to save the dog(s) that had literally ripped a person to shreds. Certain groups of dog owners not only literally equate their dog to a human child, but insist that their dog is better than any human child. No one bats an eye anymore at people who proudly proclaim “I would save my dog over any person if I had to” and multiple pro-dog advocacy groups push the narrative that losing a dog is just as important as losing a human relationship. Before, people would be treated for mental illness for this amount of projection onto an animal; now, it’s not only completely normalized, but you’re an asshole if you don’t recognize the importance of their precious pooch and consider it an equal with children.
I wish I were being hyperbolic about all of this, but these are things I’ve witnessed in my own life and I’ve seen the growing amounts of acceptance of dogs > humans in many, many circles. You can’t go on a dog mauling news report without someone wondering what the person did to cause their own death, then immediately post pictures of their own dog (usually accompanied by their children, particularly on mauling deaths of infants). I’ve lost friends over my general dislike of dogs, even though that dislike never affected them personally. More importantly, I love people and it’s a shame to not only equate, but to devalue the awesomeness of human complexity and relationships to dog ownership.
So, in order to be able to freely express my opinion on this growing epidemic, as well as just general dislike and other personal ramblings related to the issue of dogs, I’ve carved out this tiny space in the internet for such. If you’ve come to my tiny corner as a like minded individual or even a dog lover who just wants a break from some of the insanity of modern dog culture, welcome!
No Dogs on Mars 