deadphilosopherssociety

Feline Philosophy: Cats and the Meaning of Life | John Gray

Can loving a cat for any other animal) teach us to love each other differently? In what ways? How?
#FelinePhilosophy #JohnGray #Philosophy #AdventuresInPhilosophy #DeadPhilosophersSociety #LiveLikeACat #TheMeaningOfLife #Cats #Cat #CatsAndTheMeaningOfLife #CatsOfLitsy
@TheBookHippie @ravenlee @JaclynW @RavenLovelyReads @AlaSkaat @Chrissyreadit @kspenmoll

ravenlee I think I‘m a better person for having loved (and lost) cats. The cats I‘ve loved have taught me to take time for myself (sit down and pet the kitty, lady), naps are both necessary and enjoyable, and that persistence is the key to getting what you want. 4d

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GingerAntics

Feline Philosophy: Cats and the Meaning of Life | John Gray

How are cats different from dogs? How is literature and art centred around cats different from literature and art centred around dogs?
#FelinePhilosophy #JohnGray #Philosophy #AdventuresInPhilosophy #DeadPhilosophersSociety #LiveLikeACat #TheMeaningOfLife #Cats #Cat #CatsAndTheMeaningOfLife #CatsOfLitsy
@TheBookHippie @ravenlee @JaclynW @RavenLovelyReads @AlaSkaat @Chrissyreadit @kspenmoll

ravenlee Cats are more happily independent than dogs. Dogs worship their owners; cats tolerate their staff. I haven‘t read much dog literature (I generally refuse to read books in which the animal dies) and I‘m not a dog person. Actually, I‘m afraid of dogs! But it seems a lot of cat literature focuses on the inner world of the cat‘s mind and experiences, while dog stories focus heavily on interactions with people. 4d

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GingerAntics

Feline Philosophy: Cats and the Meaning of Life | John Gray

Do cats love like humans? Do humans love like cats?
#FelinePhilosophy #JohnGray #Philosophy #AdventuresInPhilosophy #DeadPhilosophersSociety #LiveLikeACat #TheMeaningOfLife #Cats #Cat #CatsAndTheMeaningOfLife #CatsOfLitsy
@TheBookHippie @ravenlee @JaclynW @RavenLovelyReads @AlaSkaat @Chrissyreadit @kspenmoll

ravenlee I think there‘s a selfishness to feline love, which isn‘t always part of human love. Cats are self-serving. My cat loves me because I provide him with food, water, shelter, enrichment, and affection. He loves my daughter, too, but he prefers me. I tell her it‘s because he knows where the good stuff comes from, and because he‘s a big boy and I have a bigger, squishier lap. 4d

ravenlee But just because cats are selfish doesn‘t make their love less. They‘re smart enough not to waste their love on anyone who treats them poorly - which is a lesson a lot of humans should probably take note of. 4d

ravenlee Story that was prompted by this chapter, about cats not being jealous of their humans: in college I dated this guy who had two cats (Giddis and Berta). One of them was very friendly toward me, saw me as another set of petting appendages. The other was SO territorial of her human, and she hated me. She once sat on my lap, which shocked me because she‘d always been so standoffish. She looked me in the eye, 👇🏻 4d

ravenlee stuck out one single claw, and snagged one thread in the new sweater I was wearing. Then she pulled her paw back a foot or so, pulled her claw out of the thread tangle, got up, and walked away. She washed her paw and watched me. So, yes, cats can ABSOLUTELY feel jealousy! 4d

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GingerAntics

Feline Philosophy: Cats and the Meaning of Life | John Gray

Is selfless egotism possible? Could humans be selfless egoists? Would this be good or bad for society?
#FelinePhilosophy #JohnGray #Philosophy #AdventuresInPhilosophy #DeadPhilosophersSociety #LiveLikeACat #TheMeaningOfLife #Cats #Cat #CatsAndTheMeaningOfLife #CatsOfLitsy
@TheBookHippie @ravenlee @JaclynW @RavenLovelyReads @AlaSkaat @Chrissyreadit @kspenmoll

GingerAntics I‘ve got to say, one positive of this would certainly be that people wouldn‘t hide their motivations, because they wouldn‘t be self conscious of their motivations. Instead of “I‘m trying to protect women and unborn babies” it would be “I just want to control women, children, and anyone else I see as inferior to myself.” 2w

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GingerAntics

Feline Philosophy: Cats and the Meaning of Life | John Gray

Are humans unique in the world? In the universe?
#FelinePhilosophy #JohnGray #Philosophy #AdventuresInPhilosophy #DeadPhilosophersSociety #LiveLikeACat #TheMeaningOfLife #Cats #Cat #CatsAndTheMeaningOfLife #CatsOfLitsy
@TheBookHippie @ravenlee @JaclynW @RavenLovelyReads @AlaSkaat @Chrissyreadit @kspenmoll

9 likes

GingerAntics

Feline Philosophy: Cats and the Meaning of Life | John Gray

What is the best life? How might one achieve the good life?
#FelinePhilosophy #JohnGray #Philosophy #AdventuresInPhilosophy #DeadPhilosophersSociety #LiveLikeACat #TheMeaningOfLife #Cats #Cat #CatsAndTheMeaningOfLife #CatsOfLitsy
@TheBookHippie @ravenlee @JaclynW @RavenLovelyReads @AlaSkaat @Chrissyreadit @kspenmoll

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GingerAntics

Feline Philosophy: Cats and the Meaning of Life | John Gray

Do we know what morality is? Can we know what morality is?
#FelinePhilosophy #JohnGray #Philosophy #AdventuresInPhilosophy #DeadPhilosophersSociety #LiveLikeACat #TheMeaningOfLife #Cats #Cat #CatsAndTheMeaningOfLife #CatsOfLitsy
@TheBookHippie @ravenlee @JaclynW @RavenLovelyReads @AlaSkaat @Chrissyreadit @kspenmoll

GingerAntics I‘ve got to say, this chapter really stretched me mentally. 2w

TheBookHippie I feel like crap I‘ll be back to answer. I answered last weeks yesterday 😝😩 I agree this one is good for my brain 2w

GingerAntics @TheBookHippie 🤣😂🤣 you have the added push of the fact that you‘re not a cat person. 2w

GingerAntics @TheBookHippie oh no, it‘s covid! I hope you feel better quickly. 1w

7 likes4 comments

ravenlee

Feline Philosophy: Cats and the Meaning of Life | John Gray

Philosophical cats: is the box half empty or half full? Either way there‘s room for cat.
Is the food dish half empty or half full? I can see the bottom! Starvation is imminent.
#DannyBoy #catsofLitsy #DeadPhilosophersSociety

ravenlee Also, I confused my buddy reads and read two chapters instead of one and couldn‘t figure out how the book was going to last into October at that rate…because it isn‘t at that rate…🤦🏻‍♀️ 3w

RaeLovesToRead I love this picture!!!! I would say the box was completely full 😋 3w

ravenlee @RaeLovesToRead this particular box is a bit overfull, as it was about three inches tall when it was intact…but he‘s happy 🤷🏻‍♀️ 3w

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RaeLovesToRead So cute 😊💕 3w

FlowerFairy Recently purchased our new kitten a bed. She has yet to touch it. Loves her Amazon box, though. 🤣 3w

MegaWhoppingCosmicBookwyrm Lol, our cat definitely thinks she‘s going to starve if she catches even a glimpse of the bottom of the bowl. 🤣😂 3w

45 likes6 comments

GingerAntics

Feline Philosophy: Cats and the Meaning of Life | John Gray

Is life nothing but melancholy? Is, there any real escape from melancholy? Is life as bleak as Gray and some philosophers make it out to be?
#FelinePhilosophy #JohnGray #Philosophy #AdventuresInPhilosophy #DeadPhilosophersSociety #LiveLikeACat #TheMeaningOfLife #Cats #Cat #CatsAndTheMeaningOfLife #CatsOfLitsy
@TheBookHippie @ravenlee @JaclynW @RavenLovelyReads @AlaSkaat @Chrissyreadit @kspenmoll

ravenlee I think it‘s easy to get bogged down in fatalism, get overwhelmed by the odds - so much of what we‘ve discussed before, in the limits of free will and such. Then, yes, there‘s melancholy. But if we acknowledge the cruddy situation and still work to make the best of it for ourselves and those around us, there‘s reason for hope and optimism. 3w

GingerAntics @ravenlee I like that view much better. I think there is certainly room to recognise that things can and do suck. I think the “everything‘s great and always awesome” camp is just as toxic as the “everything sucks and nothing matters” camp. I think the whole point is to find that happy medium, like you say. It‘s important to acknowledge both sides of life, I guess. Some (most? all?) of the philosophers in this chapter did NOT get that memo. 3w

ravenlee Yes, toxic optimism. The people who talk about “first-world problems” like you can‘t be upset about anything just because other people have it worse. The ones who want to know what you‘re doing for self-care because it‘s SOOO important but ignore all the genuine problems that are causing the stress in the first place. 3w

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GingerAntics @ravenlee yes to all of that! First world problems (for joke sake) are like “I wish my phone did this,” but that‘s not to say people in the first world don‘t actually have problems. 3w

ravenlee Exactly! Like, “I dropped my phone and the screen cracked so it‘s barely usable but I can‘t afford $700 for a new one” is indeed a first-world problem - but it‘s for someone who needs a usable phone to be contacted about work, housing opportunities, family emergencies, and so on, it‘s still very much a problem! 3w

GingerAntics @ravenlee exactly! I just dropped my phone and the screen is cracked so it‘s barely useable, but don‘t worry daddy will buy me a new one on the way home from work” is absolutely a genuine first world problem in the joke sense. 🙄 2w

TheBookHippie I always think of Anne of Green Gables when melancholy is mentioned!!!! 2w

TheBookHippie I think people miss joy. Joy and peace are not feelings they are a way of spirit in the midst of it all burning down around us. 2w

TheBookHippie Sorry so late catching up!!! 2w

TheBookHippie @ravenlee I agree. 2w

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GingerAntics

Feline Philosophy: Cats and the Meaning of Life | John Gray

Is “the fall” the moment we learned of our mortality? Are cats an example of what it is to live before “the fall”?
#FelinePhilosophy #JohnGray #Philosophy #AdventuresInPhilosophy #DeadPhilosophersSociety #LiveLikeACat #TheMeaningOfLife #Cats #Cat #CatsAndTheMeaningOfLife #CatsOfLitsy
@TheBookHippie @ravenlee @JaclynW @RavenLovelyReads @AlaSkaat @Chrissyreadit @kspenmoll

ravenlee Well, cats don‘t realize they‘re naked…so…yes? (Seriously, my SIL keeps sending pictures of her kids dressing their cat in doll clothes and the cat is NOT amused. I think he‘s either plotting murder or escape) 3w

GingerAntics @ravenlee oh my god, dogs will put up with that bs, but cats will NOT! 😳 I‘ve seen a cat willingly wear a garment if it serves them in some meaningful way (I‘m thinking of a cat with paralysed back legs that wears little dresses that let her drag her back legs over the floors without hurting herself), but if they‘re aware they are naked, they really don‘t care. They will gladly throw a leg up and lick their butt in front of god and man! 3w

ravenlee Once at my MIL‘s house kiddo was playing with the old (like MIL‘s childhood) dolls and my BIL caught MIL‘s cat and was trying to put some dress or something on her. MIL came over all exasperated and I thought kitty was in for a rescue until she said, “oh for goodness‘ sake - at least find something that fits her!” and proceeded to find her “favorite” dress. Now I try to make sure the cat is well hidden before they play dolls. 😳🙄 3w

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GingerAntics @ravenlee oh my god that poor cat! You have got to be kidding. 3w

ravenlee I wish I were. 3w

ravenlee Or maybe cats do realize they‘re naked and revel in it. Nudist cats? Is that why they lick their butts at us so deliberately? 3w

GingerAntics @ravenlee OH MY GOD THAT WOULD EXPLAIN SO MUCH!!! They look at us like “what‘s up with those things on your body? What‘s the point. Be comfortable.” Cats are nudists! 🤯 3w

TheBookHippie @ravenlee yes. They‘re flaunting their freedom. 2w

TheBookHippie Death isn‘t real for most people until they either experience it with loss or beat it themselves or fight to live IMO. Life and Death started at the same time if we are to believe there is no time in Eden or heaven. 2w

GingerAntics @TheBookHippie that is an absolutely mind blowing thought. “Life and death started at the same time.” So much to unpack with that. The birth of humanity meant the death of our closest evolutionary siblings. Death is the only guarantee we have in life. Hm. 2w

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