Cuteness And A New Hatred For Humanity

Cat videos.

Cat pictures.

Videos of animals cuddling together. Double points if said animals are usually sworn enemies.

Videos of pigs saving baby goats stuck in a petting zoo pond while the cameraman does his best impression of the bystander effect that'll make anyone turn into an antihero vigilante.

We as a society have taken a liking to adorable animals.

Of all the things the Internet allows us to do, we've decided as a global collective to dedicate our time watching cat videos.

It could be that we as a global people want some cuteness to unwind and be distracted with at the end of the day.

But why is that?

Why does it seem like people would die for these goofy animals that love the taste of their own feces?

Not to mention that people love throwing human babies in the garbage on a daily basis.

It would seem that human nature engages in evil acts while clamoring to their pets.

Dictators playing with their pets while they commit atrocities. It's even a scandal of the election.

What looks on the surface to be a contradiction in humanity actually presents an interesting issue on why people are the way they are.

Kittens, puppies, etc. are pretty much the most purest forms of innocence on the planet.

They aren't lying about it. They are not putting up a front with you.

They are authentic.

Is there a downside to authenticity? Yes. Animals can suffer a lot of abuse as a result of their loyalty to people. It's what makes those abused pet commercials so effective.

Now, this isn't to say all animals get a pass from people. Unfortunately, all of this is determined by an animal's cuteness.

Mythology is filled with heroes slaying demonic draconian creatures. No one cries when an iguana is "abused", at least not most of the time.

With animals, adorable is key. Like a baby. A baby who doesn't look his father. The one you hate so much.

Cause they need us. Taking care of someone can give a person reason to exist. It's the same relationship most parents (most, key word here) have with their children. That isn't to say have kids and it will fix your life. Become level-headed when available. 

To go back to Catcher In The Rye (again, I know), the main thing that held Holden Caulfield together by the end of the book was his love of innocence, shown by watching kids play baseball in a park.

He wanted to make his world a better place for them.

Of course, fans of said book have interpreted this and acted on it in very morbid ways.

But, a lot of people will tell you that they don't like children, for a lot of reasons. Kids cause vandalism.

Domestic pets help fill the emotional void.

They are also innocence to the ongoing humanity hating public.

If they can do some anti-social behavior they're not aware of, curling their paws in a way that it looks they're flipping you off, it would make them even more adorable.

The need for cuteness might be a reaction against the ubiquitous digital age we live in.

The lack of "healthy" social interaction may have added to this. Talking to the cat while waiting for someone to text you back. That kind of thing.

Have people loved their animals through the ages? Sure.

Could it be that the Internet has shed light on what was once a less noticed subject? Possibly.

But, one aspect that has been largely ignored by this phenomenon is that adorable animals bring out the good in people.

Human beings spend as much time and money caring about animals as they are abusing them.

There's a balance to humanity, a balance that often goes unnoticed.

There's a website called The Good News Blog. It's dedicated entirely to delivering good news. That being said, it's not very popular.

Not being happy can get a lot of things done.

Too much optimism is not good for production.

Anyone with an agenda is probably not happy. And if they are happy, they are either tired or looking for more happiness. Or they're naive. Whatever.

People don't hate big eyed furry creatures for being happy. Kittens chase bugs when it's tax season.

It's better for house pets to be idolized than babies. There's a lot of evil people who were idolized as babies.

Nowadays, it seems like there are two different kind of people: People who wished they did more in school and people who think they missed out on things while they were studying.

Or, in parents, those who want to shield their kids from the real world and those who prepare them so much that kids find a malaise in living.

It's a weird place to be. Do you break your back planting seeds of the future, or do you always smell the roses? Even when you smell the roses, you just stress out over how much is not being planted.

I guess the grass is always greener, even if one's colorblind.