Mixed Community

In this chapter Midgley focuses on the “the mixed community”, or the relationships between animals and human beings . She looks at the animals that are domesticated and says that most of these animals are social. These animals that are domestic are the animals that live in individuals homes. Midgley talks about how animals can understand humans actions and their behaviors.

I find it very interesting how domesticated animals do show that they understand human actions and that they listen to commands that humans give them. Domesticated animals I feel like can tell whether a person is happy or sad by the way that they act around their pet. The dog that I use to have would always come up to me and want to play with me when I was upset, it seemed as if she was trying to cheer me up. I also find it very interesting like Brittany Berry said how young children can pull on a domesticated animal and do things to them that doesn't seem to bother the animal. However if an adult would do one of those actions to the animal it would probably respond in a protective way.

Lastly Midgley discussed that exploitation requires sympathy. The exploitation of animals I believe just as Chelsea Hoffmann says requires the ability of humans to be able to relate to animals. Humans treat animals very similar to the way we treat other human beings. Most individuals give their domesticated animals names, and when the animal dies we show sympathy and are upset by the death of our pets. Therefore I agree with Midgley and how she says that the relationship between humans and domesticated animals has never been impersonal. This reading has been the most easiest to understand and to be able to relate to.