Everything wants to kill us

[street]

I been thinking that everything wants to kill us or make life an unhealthy one for all of us.
Mice, ticks, mesquites, snakes and many other wildlife critters effect our lives each day. Then not to mention all the different cancers, viruses, diseases and accidents, that every step we make could be our last breath.

It seems no matter how fit and what we do to increase our personal health we are always the underdog trying to survive.

 

[Midpack]

I’d say mankind has been a much bigger threat to animals than vice versa. How many are endangered or extinct so far thanks to humans? NatGeo says species extinctions are happening a thousand times faster now due to humans, thanks to destroying habitats, pollution, etc.

As for disease, medicine has successfully chipped away at diseases for generations. We’re safer today than long ago, but there will still be setbacks from time to time. Who knows, maybe genome research will make us even safer from many diseases.

 

[Nemo2]

.....we are always the underdog trying to survive.

I imagine that every other cognizant creature, (pigs/sheep/cattle in a slaughterhouse, par exemple), has similar thoughts.

As I guy I knew used to say "Life is tough, and then you die".

 

[aja8888]

I’d say mankind has been a much bigger threat to animals than vice versa. How many are endangered or extinct so far thanks to humans? NatGeo says species extinctions are happening a thousand times faster now due to humans, thanks to destroying habitats, pollution, etc.

As for disease, medicine has successfully chipped away at diseases for generations.

I take your point seriously, but remember, a lot of creatures were "here" long before humans (hundreds of millions of years) and went extinct on their own, and there will be a lot of them "here" long after humans are extinct.

 

[copyright1997reloaded]

I been thinking that everything wants to kill us or make life an unhealthy one for all of us.
Mice, ticks, mesquites, snakes and many other wildlife critters effect our lives each day. Then not to mention all the different cancers, viruses, diseases and accidents, that every step we make could be our last breath.

It seems no matter how fit and what we do to increase our personal health we are always the underdog trying to survive.

Survival of the fittest?

Long ago I saw a fascinating video, something like "Predator vs Prey evolution". The basis is that there is an intricate dance of evolution of species, both of the predator and prey, and that w/o the other each would perish.

On a more personal level, as a older parent, my child when younger wondered aloud about why people had to die. Perhaps the question was in part due to DC's older parents (e.g. me). Part of my answer was that it is necessary - that the death of something is essential to the life of something else. Part of the answer was also that without that, there would be little or no reason for birth.

 

[Gumby]

I been thinking that everything wants to kill us or make life an unhealthy one for all of us.
Mice, ticks, mesquites, snakes and many other wildlife critters effect our lives each day. Then not to mention all the different cancers, viruses, diseases and accidents, that every step we make could be our last breath.

It seems no matter how fit and what we do to increase our personal health we are always the underdog trying to survive.

I just celebrate that we are such supreme badass organisms that the vast majority of us not only survive but manage to thrive even while under constant assault by all those other nasty things. Yay, humans!

 

[Jerry1]

that the death of something is essential to the life of something else.

There was a male pheasant hanging out around our house the past few days. We were getting pictures and looking forward to seeing him each morning. Then, two nights ago, something hit our house. I looked out the window and really couldn’t see what it was, but a big bird flew away (I think an owl or a hawk). Upon further inspection it was clear the the pheasant was no longer with us. By morning, the debris field was literally just a few feathers.

It was only a little comfort to realize the above truth, but nature is brutal.

 

[MichaelB]

I been thinking that everything wants to kill us or make life an unhealthy one for all of us.
Mice, ticks, mesquites, snakes and many other wildlife critters effect our lives each day. Then not to mention all the different cancers, viruses, diseases and accidents, that every step we make could be our last breath.

It seems no matter how fit and what we do to increase our personal health we are always the underdog trying to survive.

Dogs do not want to kill us. They’re true friends. Not sure about cats

 

[street]

Some good thoughts on the subject. I do agree when man no longer walks here on earth there will be many animals/creatures that will be still roaming the earth.

The day we are born is the day we start to die, from something.

 

[braumeister]

“That which does not kill us makes us stronger.”
― Friedrich Nietzsche

 

[Amethyst]

Somehow I doubt it. Awaiting slaughter in a strange place, they probably have a looming sense of fear, but not cognizance of exactly what.

Only humans have the ability to visualize and fret over something that isn't imminent.

I imagine that every other cognizant creature, (pigs/sheep/cattle in a slaughterhouse, par exemple), has similar thoughts.

As I guy I knew used to say "Life is tough, and then you die".

 

[SheitlQueen]

Dogs do not want to kill us. They’re true friends. Not sure about cats

Cats don't want to kill us either; otherwise they would be without their servants.

 

[Amethyst]

I distinctly remember asking my Mother, when I was probably 5, why God had invented flies. "To teach mankind to be clean," was her answer. OK, what about mosquitoes? "They are an important food for many birds." Well, then, what about colds? She literally had no answer to that.

Even way back when, I was upset about coronaviruses!

 

[Amethyst]

Domesticated cats don't just want servants; they want companionship and affection. If they're used to getting those things, and it stops, the cat will show every sign of unhappiness. It is actually one way I trained my cats: If they kept doing something they were taught not to do, I made a disappointed "Ohhhh" sound at the cat, and then ignored it. That cat would come around, try to get my attention, try to jump on my lap...clearly upset. It seemed to reinforce the training. My cats were pretty good at learning the few rules I imposed.

Cats don't want to kill us either; otherwise they would be without their servants.

 

[Gumby]

One of my cats mostly wants food. Her sister mostly wants attention and will complain loudly if she doesn't get it.

 

[Nemo2]

Somehow I doubt it. Awaiting slaughter in a strange place, they probably have a looming sense of fear, but not cognizance of exactly what.

Only humans have the ability to visualize and fret over something that isn't imminent.

I've seen pigs in a slaughterhouse.....they're terrified.....the level of conceptualization may range from that of Spring Break partiers to self isolationists though.

 

[street]

“That which does not kill us makes us stronger.”
― Friedrich Nietzsche

True, and hopefully wiser.

 

[Ronstar]

Everything does want to kill us. I took a kicked back piece of wood from my table saw to the crotch area yesterday. Missed vital organs by an inch or 2.

Whatever is out to get us - if/when it gets to the point that we need medical attention - hopefully the doctors and medical facilities will be back up to full capacity.

 

[Amethyst]

I don't doubt it! But if a pig were lucky enough to escape the slaughterhouse to safety, I doubt he'd spend a spare second thinking about it afterward...unless they caught him and brought him back. That's the difference from people.

I've seen pigs in a slaughterhouse.....they're terrified.....the level of conceptualization may range from that of Spring Break partiers to self isolationists though.

 

[atmsmshr]

Everything does want to kill us. I took a kicked back piece of wood from my table saw to the crotch area yesterday. Missed vital organs by an inch or 2.

Whatever is out to get us - if/when it gets to the point that we need medical attention - hopefully the doctors and medical facilities will be back up to full capacity.

Just finishing lunch after using the chop saw for an hour on a home project. Always grateful to complete the job with 10 digits.

BTW - the project was to turn several 2x4's into toe kick plates and waist rails for a scaffold just purchased. A nice steady platform for home improvement taller than 6 foot. My days of working from a ladder are over for the most part - and I especially don't want to be hospitalized from a fall with the [Mod Edit] in the hospitals.

 

[Winemaker]

I can't confirm this but I heard a story years ago about a big celebration about the release of some cleaned/rescued seals right after the Exxon Valdez incident. The high school band was playing, politicians were blabbering on, the crowd was cheering as they released 2 or 3 seals that had been hand cleaned and nurtured back to health. They opened the back of the truck, the seals lumbered down into the water, swam out 100 yards, and a pod of orcas had an easy lunch. The crowd, the band, and the politicians walked away in silence.

 

[Nemo2]

I can't confirm this but I heard a story years ago about a big celebration about the release of some cleaned/rescued seals right after the Exxon Valdez incident. The high school band was playing, politicians were blabbering on, the crowd was cheering as they released 2 or 3 seals that had been hand cleaned and nurtured back to health. They opened the back of the truck, the seals lumbered down into the water, swam out 100 yards, and a pod of orcas had an easy lunch. The crowd, the band, and the politicians walked away in silence.

Advance press releases can sometimes have a detrimental effect....you never know who's listening.

 

[ER Eddie]

Actually, as I've looked at material from biology, astrophysics, physics, and chemistry, I've been astonished to learn how well-prepared the Earth is to support life. Any minor deviation in any one of hundreds of different variables, and we wouldn't be here at all. So "everything wants to kills us" seems too pessimistic and negative to me. This world has been arranged in thousands of ways to be "just right," i.e., precisely the kind of place we need. If any of these variables were off by a small fraction, we wouldn't be here to even have this conversation.

Of course, it can also be a tough place, with some things that do "want to kill us." It's not all roses. But it's not all gloom and doom either.

 

[Amethyst]

That is the way I feel about babies. I always find it amazing how most babies escape having some tiny genetic blip that creates the sad difficulties some must contend with. Over time, it is no wonder so much can and does go wrong, even during even a life well-lived...we are so darn complex.

Actually, if you look at material from biology, astrophysics, physics, and chemistry, it is astonishing how well-prepared the Earth is to support life. The number of "coincidences" involved is astronomical. Any minor deviation in any one of hundreds of different variables, and we wouldn't be here at all.

Of course, it can also be a tough place, with some things that do "want to kill us." It's not all roses. But rather than focus on the challenges, I like focusing on how fortunate we are. The number of physical, astrophysical, chemical, and biological variables that have to be "just right" to support life is astonishing. Somehow, they are exactly what they need to be. Go figure.

 

[Amethyst]

But just think, what a nice surprise for the hungry orcas! Bet they could talk of nothing else for days, other than the great surprise party the hoomans threw for them.

I can't confirm this but I heard a story years ago about a big celebration about the release of some cleaned/rescued seals right after the Exxon Valdez incident. The high school band was playing, politicians were blabbering on, the crowd was cheering as they released 2 or 3 seals that had been hand cleaned and nurtured back to health. They opened the back of the truck, the seals lumbered down into the water, swam out 100 yards, and a pod of orcas had an easy lunch. The crowd, the band, and the politicians walked away in silence.