A lot of people kiss their pets or non-human animals in general. I find that very weird. I understand that it is a sign of affection but it seems so off. One reason is that I doubt whether animals really understand this. Also it seems to be on a level of intimacy to me that I find weird sharing with a pet. Not necessarily romantically or sexually (that would be even more weird and wrong and probably illegal). But it is still “more”. I am not sure whether I can really explain why exactly I find that weird.
Anyway, what is something that is weird to you but not to most other people?
Caring about sports. Like they devote what amounts to a part time job watching grown men compete in children’s games. Watching Competitive exercise while they melt into a couch pounding junk food. Watching other people talk about how well they exercised. Discussing daily with their friends and family and coworkers… All about one group of people in a colored shirt moving a ball slightly better than people with a different colored shirt.
Celebrity gossip and worship
If you think pets dont understand kisses you have never owned a pet.
When you say something simple and someone else attacks you over some imaginary meaning or intent. Neurotypical people are unwell.
Happens a lot on Lemmy
Not really a neurotypical problem, nice insult though very cool
No need to yell 😖
Enjoying work.
Partying
Never understood the appeal
Have you tried drugs
Here’s something that will probably mark me as weird: I find it strange, even creepy, when people talk, sing, hum, or make any noises to themselves. Some people tell me it helps their concentration, but I can’t even envision making any kind of sound when I concentrate.
Talking to yourself is one of life’s great joys. Isn’t that right, me?
sing
As in sing in the shower? Or just when multi-tasking in general?
I don’t usually talk, sing, or hum alone, but I’m always either tapping my foot, tapping my desk, or clicking a pen.
It’s not really deliberate, it just sort of happens.Though to be fair I do deliberately buy retractable pens so I can click them…
LOL. I do all of those things.
Me, too, and I find it offputting when someone else does it. 😄
One reason is that I doubt whether animals really understand this
You would be objectively wrong on that. It’s been shown that affection to animals fires off the same parts of the brain in them as it does in humans, and delivers the same chemicals.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6826447/
Just because animals can’t communicate like you or me (though I firmly believe pets have a language that you can understand if you own one long enough), it doesn’t mean they don’t have the same feelings of bonding and closeness. Biologically we’re all very similar, so the Oxytocin that we get from being loved is identical to the oxytocin that THEY get when being loved.
Every cat I’ve ever met has a nice little language. It was always possible to tell when they were happy or annoyed at the very least. I love them. I always hope they know I love them.
Thank you for the link. Does the paper reveal anything about kissing specifically? Haven’t had the time to read it yet.
I know that humans and other animals can feel affection for each other and that physical contact, e.g., by stroking, induces a sensation of ‘affective touch’ facilitated by C-tactile fibers. So while kissing itself might induce similar effects by similar pressure force and temperature, I wonder whether it really makes a difference to ‘poking’ your pet with your finger in a similar way. In other words: if the physical sensation is similar, does another animal understand a kiss versus another form of affective touch?Dogs have the ability to read body language. So a gentle behaviour like kissing or cuddling would definitely be perceived differently than an abrupt gesture like poking them.
You’ve obviously never kissed a naked mole rat
Found Ron Stoppable!
Regarding my cat: ahem
If not for kisses, why made of soft??
For cuddles of course.
I kiss my parrot because it is a cultural ritual we have built together. I make smoochy noises at him and he mimics them back to me because he wants to communicate. I kiss his little beak and he supposes this is a thing I must like doing so he starts doing it back. It makes me smile and make happy noises, which he recognizes. Now we have a fun thing we do that means we’re buddies. He trains me to offer up my nose for him to smooch if he makes a specific little whispery sound. His only reward is the opportunity to boop me on the nose with his beak but he evidently finds this incredibly amusing and will occasionally whisper at me relentlessly until I give in. He will let me smooch the back of his head at nighttime because it means he gets to stay up later. His feathers are soft and he smells nice so I like it too.
Beautiful. I hope you post a video of your parrot doing the smoochie nosies because that’s just perfect…
I want to echo what Velma said…I recently received an incredibly painful text from my older brother, but your example of how animals love other animals, really grounds me. Im tearing up, but in relief, in awe, and in utter joy. This little anecdote is a great gift. Thanks for sharing!
Animals are easy to love, sometimes easier than loving other humans. Ultimately we all just want to connect, I’m glad I did with you today!
This was a delightful read that made me smile, thank you for sharing!
Oo what kind of parrot? And what country do you guys love birds that much? I want to visit 😁 we have 2, ourselves.
He’s a green cheeked conure. I also have an African Grey who doesn’t like to be smooched. What kind do you have?
Aww I love Greys!! They’re so smart and have such a wide vocabulary.
We sort of happened upon them from a couple who needed to surrender, but a Blue Fronted Amazon and more recently, a Goffin’s Cockatoo.
My Grey is kind of a dummy (or maybe just too smart to perform for my approval) but I love her anyway. She’s the sweetest and loves just hanging out on my shoulder.
I had a Blue Fronted years ago, he was the best boy ever. He was an amazing singer and mimic and loved to cuddle. Thanks for taking in birds that need homes!!
Having kids. I just don’t get it.
Huh. That’s an odd one. We are all here because someone had kids, you grew up with people who had kids, it’s a funny thing to not understand. I always wanted kids but can wrap my mind around people not wanting them, feel everyone should live their lives the way they want & most of my kids don’t themselves want kids (though they all like kids, they just each want one of their siblings to give them nieces).
Raising kids is by far the best work I ever did, and babies are cute, little children are delightful, teenagers are cool, and now as adults they are awesome.
Out of curiosity, what’s not to get? It’s a biological imperative for the human race to continue. I can absolutely get not wanting kids and choosing to be ‘child free’, but it’s personally not that difficult to understand why people chose to have them.
It might be an imperative for the human race, but not on an individual level. There is no must … there is no law in the universe that says that we must continue.
In line with the other commenter, I can only speak for myself. Nothing about parenting is appealing to me, and I can’t even think of one aspect of my life that would improve. A long list of cons with no pros. I’ve accepted that people are just wired differently. For me it makes no sense, but others go through great effort and expense to become parents (e.g. those with fertility issues going through various treatments).
Gossiping, and the inevitable culture of “what will people say?” that comes along with it. I don’t really talk about other people when they’re not there. And it’s really weird when someone introduces you to a new person and they’re like “I’ve heard so much about you”. It almost sounds threatening.
As an introvert, most things that extroverts do are strange. I want nothing more than to go home during the course of a normal work day. Extroverts love to go back out and socialize more. No thanks.
I used to do that on a daily basis. I can’t even imagine anymore.
not washing their hands after using the bathroom…
Or people who flush with the toilet lid open. Gross
I’m in a building with multiple offices for multiple companies and one of them has a massage place.
Each floor has one set of shared bathrooms for men and women
The masseuse guy goes to the bathroom and I’ve noticed him there multiple times taking a dump, then walking out without washing his hands
And he then massages people all over…
“But I didn’t touch anything dirty.”
Hanta virus splashes have entered the chat.
I apply the George Carlin process to hand washing. After all when in public I know where my dick has been but that janky faucet and restroom door knob has been touched by every wet handed dipshit who put their hands through the germ infested air dryer in the place.
This is something I especially notice at airports. Depending on which state I’m in the ratio of men washing their hands changes drastically
Well, come on. What states are grosser than others?
Come on, you know it’s the South…
EEewww. You win dammit.
