The global pet industry was valued at over 246 billion USD in 2023, the majority of that being from dogs. It would surprise me if there **wasn’t** a group of people intentionally pushing dog obsession to profit from it.
Honestly this sounds like a conspiracy theory but I think milennials are using dogs to fill in their human parental nurturing instincts. I watched it with my ex GF and it was such a turn off and ended up leading to our downfall. Then she called herself a “Dog mom” and I wanted to vomit out my digestive organs. It’s definetly influenced by businesses as I get targeted ads for dog stuff but more so these perpetually online people and “influencers” seem to be behind a lot of it.
This. Millennials are not having as many kids as previous generations, so instead they force dogs into that role which the dogs don't want to be in, causing all sorts of problems. Dogs are not kids, for fuck's sake.
Or how they claim to detest kids but own an animal that's pretty much a permanent toddler. They also allow said animal to restrict their lives way more than a child would.
At least a kid grows in intelligence and maturity, you hit the nail on the head with the perpetual toddler thing. Kids talk back, argue with you, and hurt you in other ways but a dog is bred to be subservient to you no matter what. There’s a saying that if you beat a horse the horse will leave and never return but if you beat a dog it will remain loyal to you.
My ex GF even confided in me that having the dog meant she couldn’t travel like she wanted to but at the same time told me she didn’t want kids because she wanted to “be free” 😕 well I’m pet free and child free so I guess that makes me free?
Dogs are working animals just like a horse, they don’t want to be coddled they’re bred to perform a specific task. These “pet parents” locking up an animal bred to move in an apartment and then claiming how it’s their “child” make me sick.
I believe this is true because I did it. Not with dogs, because I was never insane enough to have one in an apartment, but with guinea pigs. They were my "babies" and I was endlessly trying to find a place to put my maternal energy. We had kids, and the desire for pets evaporated when our first was born. We saw them through to the end out of obligation, but I'll never go back.
Im reminded of the film *Children of Men*, that featured a TV ad for The Gap where, apparently, they had to start selling clothes for animals since children were no longer.
This kind of thing is known as 'sublimation'. Some proponents of this idea even go so far as to suggest that all of history is the story of the neurosis brought about from repressed sexuality.
A mix of self-feeding factors in the past two decades which normalized the humanizing of dogs. Some off the dome:
1) social media has lead to people being more isolated and in need of companionship
2) boring people believing owning a dog is a personality trait or a way to identify themselves. I think this set things in motion where NOT liking dogs was then seen as a negative personality trait.
3) flourishing of remote work even before Covid much more transient work force , who become isolated and in need of companionship
Everything was then exacerbating by the pet industry (but heavily scewed towards dogs) seeing these trends and taking advantage of them, pushing narratives that people NEED companionship, that it’s NORMAL to take a dog everywhere, that being a dog owner IS personality trait or identifier (and not like dogs is seen as a negative personality trait).
The three factors I listed were self feeding. People feel isolated > see people online having a dog is a good thing > they get a dog and show it as personality trait > more people see it > they do the same.
Not to mention more and more people took dogs into places they didn’t go before with out being ostracized, so more and more felt comfortable doing it.
TLDR social media induced loneliness, mass media by capitalism, reduction of public humiliation
On the boring theory. I think this group includes immature or insecure people. Because who else will latch onto one thing and make it their identity? Kids and teens!
Yeah but the percentage of the population, at least in the USA, that smokes is WAY lower than it was in the 20th century. And no one who does smoke now even dreams of smoking in the sort of places it used to be common - on airline flights, in hospitals, in grocery stores, etc.
Hopefully the decline of dog ownership and dog access to inappropriate places declines as much or more than cigarettes did.
Pet ownership has been exploited and capitalised upon, like seemingly everything in this late stage capitalist society we live in. There is nothing wrong with wanting a pet and feeling a sense of companionship but full blown dog nuttery is sadly prevalent. I think this is a form of codependency (armchair psychology) people rely on these creatures for dopamine and personify them to cope with criticism.
Especially amongst DINK couples (dual income, no kids) and the elderly whose children have long since flown the nest. Unfortunately there's a lot of money to be made on praying on the vulnerable
These commercials about the high-end dog food…. Human #1 makes comment to human #2 about how it’s weird/odd that they have dog food in their fridge. Human #2 exchanges look with dog, cut scene, human #1 is shown after being thrown out. Human #2 makes quip to dog, stating other human was weird/odd. Definitely a capitalist venture trying to normalize expensive, refrigerated food for dogs. It’s gotten ridiculous.
Yes. Like a decade ago a friend working in digital marketing for a pet food company openly told me that if they could convince ppl their pet was like their child, they would want to spend more money on it.
Absolutely. I've noticed that lately around here (Norway), the pet stores have multiplied and become "disneyfied" with cuter designs and pet-life-affirming slogans and imagery. They don't do this to be nice, they do it to make bank. It seems to be working.
Yes I agree, however, I believe the order of events is a slightly different. I think loneliness has increased over the past few years (decades) because of capitalism. This has people turning to dogs to cope and then of course capitalism tries to profit off the fact that people are more dog-crazy. This difference is small though, I essentially agree with you 👍
Look how many people are going homeless or even buying a home for their dogs. There is a tik tok playlist of “owners looking like their pets”. Yes, It’s manufactured.
Also a lot of dogs in demand are high maintenance dogs, such as huskies, German Shepherds and doodles. I can’t imagine spending my hard earned money on doggy daycare and obedience classes. Also Huskies and Frankendoodles need regular grooming in addition to more housework cleaning up the fur. On Instagram some Samoyed owner commented they found brushing the dog for 45 min every day therapeutic. I just couldn’t believe it.
But yes, as many people are being frugal by making an the effort to reduce/reuse/recycle, for the good of the planet, nutters are blinded by the the pet industry which is making record profit. Consumption of expensive goods & services for oneself may be perceived as selfish, but dog ownership is perceived as kind and virtuous, especially if it’s a shelter dog because it’s “saving a life.” Instead of curbing the excess dog population by aggressive spay & neuter programs, breeders are still given licenses, guaranteeing a steady supply of dogs for nutters to spend their dollars.
Yes. Like a decade ago a friend working in digital marketing for a pet food company openly told me that if they could convince ppl their pet was like their child, they would want to spend more money on it.
Absolutely it was manufactured.
I've called it the Dog Culture Industrial Complex. It's aided and abetted by social media, Hollywood, and mainstream media. It also has a lot in common with actual cults, including the deeply entrenched bullshit slogan "man's best friend"...who has killed at least 20 people, mostly babies and children (probably more; it's hard to keep up with the stats) this year so far.
It's a particularly malevolent form of cultural/societal brainwashing due to the widespread negative externalities and huge costs it imposes on society, most obviously the fatalities.
Even if the 'evil capitalism' didn’t manufacture this craziness but still they were quick to make profit out of it.
The dog craze started due to western liberal lifestyle that's been going unchecked for the last century. The same way drug, porn, video game, sports view, fast food, social media etc. things skyrocketed in the last few decades.
People don't want to live a traditional lifestyle. Sometimes they can't afford it financially, sometimes they are taught to hate it! So the old way of life is being replaced with new things. With the breaking up of the family system, people are looking for alternatives. Pet culture is a poor but available alternative given to people.
So all the energy, attention, love, care that a person gave to his wife, children, extended family, friends, coworkers, neighbours etc. are now given to pets due to lack of a recipient. People want to love and give, they want people who care for them. In current social system, it's getting harder and harder to find such people. To find a happily ever after.
With high technology, low marriage, family breaking apart, ambitious career driven life with low space for interpersonal relationship and care, childfree etc. people are taking the easy way out with pet.
It's a vicious cycle: People see dogs portrayed in a positive way in movies, commercials, games, and cartoons. This manipulates people into thinking dogs are great. And since people think dogs are great, they get included in even more commercials, movies, games, and so on.
Dog is God spelled backwards, Satanist are obsessed with reversing words and dogs are the elites way of playing god on earth by creating these animals themselves and breeding them to have different human like features. There is nothing natural about these mutants and they are a huge waste of resources and put people into debt with all their inevitable health problems. They definitely use propaganda to create this dog culture we have now.
A prominent Catholic apologist/speaker/author/whathaveyou has his dog licking his face in his social media profile pic with the "spelled backward" quote--- Catholics of all people heavily recognize the symbolism of the demonic. I have to assume he is going through a midlife crisis.
You’re correct. I left the vet industry after a decade when they started pushing the idea of “fur babies”. They know if they can convince you that is your child, you would spend anything to treat it.
There is big money to be made, so it is in the interest of people but it could also be a collective coping mechanism of owners realizing what kind of chaos they brought into their existence.
no i really don't, i think companies have exploited an existing market with all the awful and alienating tools of modern capitalism, but i don't think they artificially created a new one.
i think that humans have a hardwired desire to care and nurture (their own children) and modern life makes having children challenging, so people get dogs and project their child rearing desires onto these animals. It's weird, unnatural, and kinda dumb.
Of course it was manufactured, it is a business worth billions of dollars. And that business doesn't even need to produce those dogs! They just paying for the pro-dog propaganda. "Adopt a puppy from a shelter!".... and then buy our dog food/dog accessorioes etc.
Sorry for my poor english.
Part of it may have been that social media allowed dog owners to see an idealized version of dog life. In real life, dog owners can’t see each other’s training techniques and feeding practices, because if dog owners get close enough to talk, their dogs start fighting. But on social media, they can see “Look how this man trains his dog! Look how this woman meal preps for her dog!”
Yes it most definitely is. Films especially. Capitalism. It's all tied together and working together to "guide" people. To make them believe their family and American experience is not complete without a effing dog.
I’m not surprised at all. It’s supply and demand - why wouldn’t there be a booming business for pets when so many households have them? I know this is dogfree but there are plenty of people out there who do think of their pets as family and want the best for them. That is not new.
I can remember a common theme in many TV shows, movies, commercials, etc, where a person (adult or child) is thinking out loud, trying to weigh consequences of a situation, trying to figure out their next move, weighing advice pertaining to a relationship. As as the character is thinking out loud, he/she looks at the dog, waiting for a reaction. The dog makes a squeal, his paw touches the person, he cocks his head to the side, all as if to mimic human gestures and expression. And the character says "You think so? I dunno....you might be onto something."
Likely a mixture of Capitalism, social media, commercial influence, and the pandemic from a few years ago (happened around the time the dog boom started to occur)
many things in this world, including trends/fads, involve social engineering.
in fact, commercials in their basic nature involve persuading people to support/consume certain things by appealing to their emotions or logic (pathos, ethos, logos)
now it's not just commercials that can influence one's way of thinking, it can be any type of media/entertainment like magazines, movies, TV shows, music, theatrical plays etc.
we've all seen product placements and sponsorships in games, youtube videos, popular media etc.
ALL of this involves money and the knowledge of human psychology to lead people to think in a certain way..
if you really think about it, our entire perception of the world has been manufactured (world events in the present and past, what's considered "success," etc.) ... and our perception of dogs is no different
I don't disagree with dogs and humans having a relationship that goes back to prehistory but yeah, what we're dealing with now is way beyond natural(?). I'm not sure if that's the right word, but yeah I feel like there's a lot to the idea of the artificial nature of the current dog obsessed culture and there is no doubt it's a huge cash cow.
>people are regularly shamed when they can’t afford the best or have to surrender their dog due to financial hardships
Nah speak on this. I've seen way too many Quora posts where 200 people dogpile the asker, and all they asked was "I can't afford a vet because the bill was 3000 dollars but my dog hasn't eaten in 11 days what do I do?". All of the responses, instead of being genuine, empathetic, helpful/constructive responses, end up being all these women spamming "YOU SHOULDN'T BE ALLOWED TO OWN A DOG, YOU'RE EVIL. SOMEONE SHOULD STARVE YOU FOR 11 DAYS."
Imagine how those responses would sound if the question was about a child and a family in poverty. This might be a reach but those posts seem so racist/anti-poverty coded. I have never seen a group of people so guilty of getting on soapboxes and preaching all of this "holier than thou" bullshit like they're getting paid for it or something.
Every industry spends money to help manufacture demand, but I don't really think this is a recent craze. People were naming dogs as the primary beneficiaries hundreds of years ago, and every historical culture that had dogs, from the Ancient egyptians, to the Romans, to the Chinese build fancy tombs and decorative clothes and costumes for the dogs of the upper class.
Yea, all the movies... animated, live action voice-over type stuff sells the kids(for instance) on the idea. Then the kids realize that Fido doesn't have the personality that the dogs in the movies have and get bored pretty quick.
Then the dog get farmed out to the backyard were I have to listen to it bark incessantly.
Nah, the money part came about AFTER the dog craze/worship started. The worship is just a replacement for Christianity. Animal worship existed long before Christianity and is now pervading the world again.
Modern Christianity is materialistic and soulless, *especially* evangelical Christianity. But Bible thumpers are mostly devoid of the ability to be self reflective, and therefore don’t even realize they are worshipping animals. In many ways America is a deeply pagan society.
Oh yeah, there’s big money behind dog culture. That’s why it’s thriving. I agree 100%.
All those expensive toys, treats, and equipment don’t sell them selves!
The global pet industry was valued at over 246 billion USD in 2023, the majority of that being from dogs. It would surprise me if there **wasn’t** a group of people intentionally pushing dog obsession to profit from it.
Honestly this sounds like a conspiracy theory but I think milennials are using dogs to fill in their human parental nurturing instincts. I watched it with my ex GF and it was such a turn off and ended up leading to our downfall. Then she called herself a “Dog mom” and I wanted to vomit out my digestive organs. It’s definetly influenced by businesses as I get targeted ads for dog stuff but more so these perpetually online people and “influencers” seem to be behind a lot of it.
This. Millennials are not having as many kids as previous generations, so instead they force dogs into that role which the dogs don't want to be in, causing all sorts of problems. Dogs are not kids, for fuck's sake.
[удалено]
Or how they claim to detest kids but own an animal that's pretty much a permanent toddler. They also allow said animal to restrict their lives way more than a child would.
At least a kid grows in intelligence and maturity, you hit the nail on the head with the perpetual toddler thing. Kids talk back, argue with you, and hurt you in other ways but a dog is bred to be subservient to you no matter what. There’s a saying that if you beat a horse the horse will leave and never return but if you beat a dog it will remain loyal to you.
My ex GF even confided in me that having the dog meant she couldn’t travel like she wanted to but at the same time told me she didn’t want kids because she wanted to “be free” 😕 well I’m pet free and child free so I guess that makes me free?
Modern degeneracy being masked by a bandaid covered in shit.
Dogs are working animals just like a horse, they don’t want to be coddled they’re bred to perform a specific task. These “pet parents” locking up an animal bred to move in an apartment and then claiming how it’s their “child” make me sick.
Except we have bred non working dogs that are quite worthless and were seen only in the courts of monarchs and the wealthy.
I believe this is true because I did it. Not with dogs, because I was never insane enough to have one in an apartment, but with guinea pigs. They were my "babies" and I was endlessly trying to find a place to put my maternal energy. We had kids, and the desire for pets evaporated when our first was born. We saw them through to the end out of obligation, but I'll never go back.
Im reminded of the film *Children of Men*, that featured a TV ad for The Gap where, apparently, they had to start selling clothes for animals since children were no longer. This kind of thing is known as 'sublimation'. Some proponents of this idea even go so far as to suggest that all of history is the story of the neurosis brought about from repressed sexuality.
A mix of self-feeding factors in the past two decades which normalized the humanizing of dogs. Some off the dome: 1) social media has lead to people being more isolated and in need of companionship 2) boring people believing owning a dog is a personality trait or a way to identify themselves. I think this set things in motion where NOT liking dogs was then seen as a negative personality trait. 3) flourishing of remote work even before Covid much more transient work force , who become isolated and in need of companionship Everything was then exacerbating by the pet industry (but heavily scewed towards dogs) seeing these trends and taking advantage of them, pushing narratives that people NEED companionship, that it’s NORMAL to take a dog everywhere, that being a dog owner IS personality trait or identifier (and not like dogs is seen as a negative personality trait). The three factors I listed were self feeding. People feel isolated > see people online having a dog is a good thing > they get a dog and show it as personality trait > more people see it > they do the same. Not to mention more and more people took dogs into places they didn’t go before with out being ostracized, so more and more felt comfortable doing it. TLDR social media induced loneliness, mass media by capitalism, reduction of public humiliation
Remember how in the early 00s everyone made fun of people like Paris Hilton for bringing her dog everywhere and how ridiculous it was?
On the boring theory. I think this group includes immature or insecure people. Because who else will latch onto one thing and make it their identity? Kids and teens!
also people not having as many kids and overall being more selfish (my opinion)
Dog culture has replaced tobacco culture and hopefully will end the same way.
People still smoke like crazy
Yeah but the percentage of the population, at least in the USA, that smokes is WAY lower than it was in the 20th century. And no one who does smoke now even dreams of smoking in the sort of places it used to be common - on airline flights, in hospitals, in grocery stores, etc. Hopefully the decline of dog ownership and dog access to inappropriate places declines as much or more than cigarettes did.
Pet ownership has been exploited and capitalised upon, like seemingly everything in this late stage capitalist society we live in. There is nothing wrong with wanting a pet and feeling a sense of companionship but full blown dog nuttery is sadly prevalent. I think this is a form of codependency (armchair psychology) people rely on these creatures for dopamine and personify them to cope with criticism. Especially amongst DINK couples (dual income, no kids) and the elderly whose children have long since flown the nest. Unfortunately there's a lot of money to be made on praying on the vulnerable
These commercials about the high-end dog food…. Human #1 makes comment to human #2 about how it’s weird/odd that they have dog food in their fridge. Human #2 exchanges look with dog, cut scene, human #1 is shown after being thrown out. Human #2 makes quip to dog, stating other human was weird/odd. Definitely a capitalist venture trying to normalize expensive, refrigerated food for dogs. It’s gotten ridiculous.
That commercial kills me. The guy kicks the girl out because she questions dog food in the fridge. Fuck out of here with that.
I work in an office which has daytime tv going all day. Endless ads for gourmet dog food. For fuck sake. Dogs will literally eat shit when the can.
Yes. Like a decade ago a friend working in digital marketing for a pet food company openly told me that if they could convince ppl their pet was like their child, they would want to spend more money on it.
Absolutely. I've noticed that lately around here (Norway), the pet stores have multiplied and become "disneyfied" with cuter designs and pet-life-affirming slogans and imagery. They don't do this to be nice, they do it to make bank. It seems to be working.
Yes I agree, however, I believe the order of events is a slightly different. I think loneliness has increased over the past few years (decades) because of capitalism. This has people turning to dogs to cope and then of course capitalism tries to profit off the fact that people are more dog-crazy. This difference is small though, I essentially agree with you 👍
Look how many people are going homeless or even buying a home for their dogs. There is a tik tok playlist of “owners looking like their pets”. Yes, It’s manufactured.
Also a lot of dogs in demand are high maintenance dogs, such as huskies, German Shepherds and doodles. I can’t imagine spending my hard earned money on doggy daycare and obedience classes. Also Huskies and Frankendoodles need regular grooming in addition to more housework cleaning up the fur. On Instagram some Samoyed owner commented they found brushing the dog for 45 min every day therapeutic. I just couldn’t believe it. But yes, as many people are being frugal by making an the effort to reduce/reuse/recycle, for the good of the planet, nutters are blinded by the the pet industry which is making record profit. Consumption of expensive goods & services for oneself may be perceived as selfish, but dog ownership is perceived as kind and virtuous, especially if it’s a shelter dog because it’s “saving a life.” Instead of curbing the excess dog population by aggressive spay & neuter programs, breeders are still given licenses, guaranteeing a steady supply of dogs for nutters to spend their dollars.
Yes. Like a decade ago a friend working in digital marketing for a pet food company openly told me that if they could convince ppl their pet was like their child, they would want to spend more money on it.
Hollywood pushes the dog
And it's to the point that "pet" is always referring to dog if it's positive, and every pet except dog if it's negative.
The pet food and care industry is worth 66 billion. You bet it's manufactured, it's big business.
Absolutely it was manufactured. I've called it the Dog Culture Industrial Complex. It's aided and abetted by social media, Hollywood, and mainstream media. It also has a lot in common with actual cults, including the deeply entrenched bullshit slogan "man's best friend"...who has killed at least 20 people, mostly babies and children (probably more; it's hard to keep up with the stats) this year so far. It's a particularly malevolent form of cultural/societal brainwashing due to the widespread negative externalities and huge costs it imposes on society, most obviously the fatalities.
It's a fad created by millions of insecure people. And FOMO. They see everyone with a frickin' dog and feel they have to have one. It feeds itself.
Even if the 'evil capitalism' didn’t manufacture this craziness but still they were quick to make profit out of it. The dog craze started due to western liberal lifestyle that's been going unchecked for the last century. The same way drug, porn, video game, sports view, fast food, social media etc. things skyrocketed in the last few decades. People don't want to live a traditional lifestyle. Sometimes they can't afford it financially, sometimes they are taught to hate it! So the old way of life is being replaced with new things. With the breaking up of the family system, people are looking for alternatives. Pet culture is a poor but available alternative given to people. So all the energy, attention, love, care that a person gave to his wife, children, extended family, friends, coworkers, neighbours etc. are now given to pets due to lack of a recipient. People want to love and give, they want people who care for them. In current social system, it's getting harder and harder to find such people. To find a happily ever after. With high technology, low marriage, family breaking apart, ambitious career driven life with low space for interpersonal relationship and care, childfree etc. people are taking the easy way out with pet.
It's a vicious cycle: People see dogs portrayed in a positive way in movies, commercials, games, and cartoons. This manipulates people into thinking dogs are great. And since people think dogs are great, they get included in even more commercials, movies, games, and so on.
Dog is God spelled backwards, Satanist are obsessed with reversing words and dogs are the elites way of playing god on earth by creating these animals themselves and breeding them to have different human like features. There is nothing natural about these mutants and they are a huge waste of resources and put people into debt with all their inevitable health problems. They definitely use propaganda to create this dog culture we have now.
A prominent Catholic apologist/speaker/author/whathaveyou has his dog licking his face in his social media profile pic with the "spelled backward" quote--- Catholics of all people heavily recognize the symbolism of the demonic. I have to assume he is going through a midlife crisis.
You’re correct. I left the vet industry after a decade when they started pushing the idea of “fur babies”. They know if they can convince you that is your child, you would spend anything to treat it.
There is big money to be made, so it is in the interest of people but it could also be a collective coping mechanism of owners realizing what kind of chaos they brought into their existence.
no i really don't, i think companies have exploited an existing market with all the awful and alienating tools of modern capitalism, but i don't think they artificially created a new one. i think that humans have a hardwired desire to care and nurture (their own children) and modern life makes having children challenging, so people get dogs and project their child rearing desires onto these animals. It's weird, unnatural, and kinda dumb.
I agree with all of this.
100% in agreement. It's like a cult and yes, endless money pits and ohh so much time wasted on these things.
Of course it was manufactured, it is a business worth billions of dollars. And that business doesn't even need to produce those dogs! They just paying for the pro-dog propaganda. "Adopt a puppy from a shelter!".... and then buy our dog food/dog accessorioes etc. Sorry for my poor english.
There is a term for this. Pandemic Puppies.
Part of it may have been that social media allowed dog owners to see an idealized version of dog life. In real life, dog owners can’t see each other’s training techniques and feeding practices, because if dog owners get close enough to talk, their dogs start fighting. But on social media, they can see “Look how this man trains his dog! Look how this woman meal preps for her dog!”
The social media I've seen comes off as "dogs are stuffed animals but better!"
This is a good theory. Sometimes I wonder if governments are paying people to have dogs.
Dogs are cheaper than kids or therapists. Many really see them as a substitute.
Yes it most definitely is. Films especially. Capitalism. It's all tied together and working together to "guide" people. To make them believe their family and American experience is not complete without a effing dog.
I’m not surprised at all. It’s supply and demand - why wouldn’t there be a booming business for pets when so many households have them? I know this is dogfree but there are plenty of people out there who do think of their pets as family and want the best for them. That is not new.
I can remember a common theme in many TV shows, movies, commercials, etc, where a person (adult or child) is thinking out loud, trying to weigh consequences of a situation, trying to figure out their next move, weighing advice pertaining to a relationship. As as the character is thinking out loud, he/she looks at the dog, waiting for a reaction. The dog makes a squeal, his paw touches the person, he cocks his head to the side, all as if to mimic human gestures and expression. And the character says "You think so? I dunno....you might be onto something."
Likely a mixture of Capitalism, social media, commercial influence, and the pandemic from a few years ago (happened around the time the dog boom started to occur)
many things in this world, including trends/fads, involve social engineering. in fact, commercials in their basic nature involve persuading people to support/consume certain things by appealing to their emotions or logic (pathos, ethos, logos) now it's not just commercials that can influence one's way of thinking, it can be any type of media/entertainment like magazines, movies, TV shows, music, theatrical plays etc. we've all seen product placements and sponsorships in games, youtube videos, popular media etc. ALL of this involves money and the knowledge of human psychology to lead people to think in a certain way.. if you really think about it, our entire perception of the world has been manufactured (world events in the present and past, what's considered "success," etc.) ... and our perception of dogs is no different
It's just Marketing, trying to find those feel-good memes we can all get together on, like dogs, sportsball and apple pie.
Oh for sure! The dog craze has so many factors, it checks all the negative boxes you can think of. It’s war on the public.
I don't disagree with dogs and humans having a relationship that goes back to prehistory but yeah, what we're dealing with now is way beyond natural(?). I'm not sure if that's the right word, but yeah I feel like there's a lot to the idea of the artificial nature of the current dog obsessed culture and there is no doubt it's a huge cash cow.
Look at the venture capitalist that have been buying all the vets lately.
Yes
>people are regularly shamed when they can’t afford the best or have to surrender their dog due to financial hardships Nah speak on this. I've seen way too many Quora posts where 200 people dogpile the asker, and all they asked was "I can't afford a vet because the bill was 3000 dollars but my dog hasn't eaten in 11 days what do I do?". All of the responses, instead of being genuine, empathetic, helpful/constructive responses, end up being all these women spamming "YOU SHOULDN'T BE ALLOWED TO OWN A DOG, YOU'RE EVIL. SOMEONE SHOULD STARVE YOU FOR 11 DAYS." Imagine how those responses would sound if the question was about a child and a family in poverty. This might be a reach but those posts seem so racist/anti-poverty coded. I have never seen a group of people so guilty of getting on soapboxes and preaching all of this "holier than thou" bullshit like they're getting paid for it or something.
I don't support that sort of rhetoric even for people who did genuinely awful things.
Most women are racist.
Every industry spends money to help manufacture demand, but I don't really think this is a recent craze. People were naming dogs as the primary beneficiaries hundreds of years ago, and every historical culture that had dogs, from the Ancient egyptians, to the Romans, to the Chinese build fancy tombs and decorative clothes and costumes for the dogs of the upper class.
It's population control
Yea, all the movies... animated, live action voice-over type stuff sells the kids(for instance) on the idea. Then the kids realize that Fido doesn't have the personality that the dogs in the movies have and get bored pretty quick. Then the dog get farmed out to the backyard were I have to listen to it bark incessantly.
Nah, the money part came about AFTER the dog craze/worship started. The worship is just a replacement for Christianity. Animal worship existed long before Christianity and is now pervading the world again.
Nope, I recently moved to the bible belt and everyone here has a fucking dog.
So? Not everyone who lives there is a Bible thumper. Plus there are those who call themselves "Christian" but are animal worshipers.
True, not everyone is a bible thumper here, but all the bible thumpers that I know have a dog.
Modern Christianity is materialistic and soulless, *especially* evangelical Christianity. But Bible thumpers are mostly devoid of the ability to be self reflective, and therefore don’t even realize they are worshipping animals. In many ways America is a deeply pagan society.