Animal Defecation and the Consciousness

Before I delve into one of the highlights of my life, I feel as if I owe you all a little background information. My younger brother Kevin has a condition, eczema, that causes mild irritations and rashes to appear all over his skin, due to financial constraints we both share a room. An unfortunate side effect of bunking with an eczema ridden child is that I am not allowed to have our cat, Sam, in the room at any time what so ever. Coincedentally, I have always adhered to the statement "Rules are meant to be broken."

Chairman of The Neo Order says:
*lol the most amazing thing happened last night, and no it wasnt gay sex
*Well I've told you about how Kevin doesnt let the cat in our room before, so I decided to let the cat in while we were both sugar high

Often I've been told that you can feel a storm before it arrives, and now I'm convinced.

Chairman of The Neo Order says:
*So I let the cat in, and Kevin eventually came in and threw the cat out
*About five minutes later the room started smelling really bad
*We assumed it was just from the bathroom
*Then I go to sleep, and the first thing I hear as I wake up and get dressed is

*Kevin: "Aiden, the cat shit in my bed."

Yep, in a sadistic, irony ridden twist of fate Sam decided to dump a nice pile of steaming cat shit in Kevin's sleeping quarters. Now, I know that Sam most likely did this out of necessity, but I like to think that somewhere in his mind he was saying to himself:

"Irritation? I'll show you irritation."

Cue the sound of shit plopping onto a mattress.

In all seriousness though, it brings up an interesting question, that is, are some animals on the same conscious level as us?

If so, one would imagine they only seem lesser because they are content with their condition therefore not "bothering" to attain a higher level of knowledge, that is to propose that animals have the same potential but simply are unaware of it. I myself do not find this theory plausible, I bring it to the table merely as food for thought. More realistic, I would say, is the theory that animals are of a lower conscious level in general but still have the potential to expand their conscious, to some limited degree. I assert not that animals do not feel, I merely suggest that they are of a more simple mindset, and it works very well for them! Eating, sleeping, defecation (on Kevin's bed), in reality, it is all they need, and quite possibly all they want.

The more liberally inclined may at this time propose that animals simply deserve a tolerable (by the liberal standard) condition of living, while I say that animals quite frankly deserve nothing. On what grounds do they deserve to be treated as more then they are, the grounds that they are alive? The right to the pursuit of happiness is derived from simply being alive?

Interesting proposal, bro.

This is the real root of the arguement, the source (grounds) from which rights are derived. Merely being alive is a popular answer, as well as being capable of feeling (How do you determine if something can feel if you cannot communicate with it? This is a discussion in itself.), while others simply assert that the strong shall survive. Frequently that final viewpoint is challenged as being barbaric and not accounting for how we shall survive as a species, often inciting the answer "We work together because it is easier that way, it is only logical that we work together to conquer all others. The knowledge to pursue this line of action is what has brought us here in the first place, e are quite simply, the winners, and they, the losers."

Honestly it is a landmine of an issue, even by my standards. The objectivist school of thought asserts that rights are derived from our higher level of consciousness, the ego, although I believe this lacks in being a comprehensive answer. Although I am inclined to say that animals of lower consciousness do not deserve the same rights as us, in all honesty, I simply do not know the source from which rights are (ought to be) derived, many arguements are convincing, none conclusive enough to win the distinction of being the correct answer.

We must attempt to find said answer, perhaps with conversation kicked off with amusing stories of potentially vengeful felines like I have.

Interesting issue, cant wait to hear some thoughts on it. I'll be sure to gather some input from my colleagues and compile it into a follow up sometime soon.