We shouldn’t watch animal cruelty videos. Why? Firstly, I’d like to say that there are lots of animal cruelty videos on YouTube. They don’t just have to be animal cruelty videos. There are many other videos that are not strictly about animal cruelty. They are very sad videos of cats and dogs that are in a bad way or dying. I am focusing on cats and dogs in this article but, of course, animal cruelty extends well beyond the most popular companion animals.
There is a very fine line between educating people about animal cruelty and voyeurism of people being cruel to animals. I’d like to make sure that I am clear about this. By “voyeurism of people being cruel to animals”, I mean that some people get a kick out of watching people being cruel to animals or seeing abused animals. Judging by the type of person who frequents YouTube, I believe that the percentage of people who are voyeurs of animal cruelty is higher than the percentage of people who want to be educated on the subject.
If I am correct, animal cruelty videos on YouTube are neither healthy nor beneficial to society. They can, and almost certainly do, damage people who watch them or, perhaps, reinforce the damage that already exists. By “damage” I mean psychologically damaged by early life experiences such that the person is likely to participate in animal cruelty. These are the young people who go on to hurt animals for fun and then humans for the same reason.
The only justification for videos depicting animal cruelty is to educate people about it but do you have to show actual, animal cruelty to be educated about it? I don’t think you do. Writing about the actual acts of cruelty in a moderate way is enough. The rest of the lesson should be about how to prevent it happening, that sort of thing.
I have learned that nearly all of us have the same fears, anxieties, hopes and loves. We are essentially the same. I know, therefore, that when people look at nasty acts of animal cruelty on video that the images can stick in the mind because they are so violent and powerful. These sorts of images are tailor made to become hard-wired into the memory. How do I know this? I know it because it has happened to me. I have seen two, perhaps three animal cruelty videos and the images on these videos are still clear in my mind, years later. Yes, these are vivid, permanent memories.
This is not education. This is psychological damage. Avoid animal cruelty videos. Learn about animal welfare by focusing on the positive aspects not the negative.
Associated: Crush Videos
When i was younger,i used to wonder why some people would go up to somebody who was wearing a animal fur coat and throw a can full of paint all over them.Now i know why.It gets me sick to see a coat made from lynx fur.it is a shame and sad to know how many of them beautiful and rare cats had to die so someboby can make a fashion statement.to me that is a terrible way to try to make a fashion statement and offends me.
I can’t watch the commercials on t.v.that show pictures of abused animals.I know the point of the commercials is to get people to donate money to care for the abused animals,but i have to pick up the tv remote and quickly change the channel because if i see those terrible pictures,i can’t get the pictures out of my head.just hearing about some of the animal cruelty that goes on often ruins my day.
Thank you, Dee, for understanding what I am saying and agreeing with me.
humans are nightmarish and terrifying for a great many animals who live their often short lives on this planet. Humans would be terrified of humans.
It is very sad. The general inactivity with respect to declawing in the USA, the gradual extermination of the wild cats, worldwide, hunting of the puma (mountain lion), trapping and skinning of the bobcat etc., stealing of wild cat kittens for pets, indicates an underlying lack of concern that worries me.
Humans have some deep-seated issues that are not good for cats.
Yes and that is so very sad 🙁