Housepets!

N- no- Kari relax it's nothing to do with you

Kari, what the heck did you do now?

N- never mind, I don't want to know...

You did nothing wrong, Kari.

I mean he is right. They can't exactly do nothing even if that is what they want to do its just going to end in disaster.

If anything will make him leave, it’s this.
Arguments outside blocking him from bliss.
Not allowed gently into the good night;
as the two opposites continue to fight.
Both sides are resolute in their position
and neither of them is known for contrition;
It ‘s all a matter of continual discourse
and both will think they won, of course.
Kari thinks that he’ll get all the blame;
mad as he is, he seems to know shame.
Marion will learn all about them this way
and tomorrow he may be able to seize the day.

Fear tactics or Steward is not a complete monster, you decide. Even still one can be a bad guy with good intentions, the ends justify the means so to speak. It is possible that Steward does care about animals and the environment but so does PETA and so did Joel and we know how all that worked out.

This does feel like might lead to a grand plot of some kind. I have mentioned in the past of Marion being a type of bridge between human and animals so this could be leading to that. As someone who walks both lines it could be possible for Marion to be a type of activist and prevent the wildlands from being torn down. Only problem is that there is no hinting of that in the comic that the woods or anything is under attack from anyone. There is no tycoon in the comic cutting down trees. Karishad did more damage to the forest building Jess's treehouse than any human we've seen.

Jess is pretty much speaking the minds of all the cast right now :3

That, and Scruffy.

Steward is sounding more and more a true believer now. Maybe a year with a pelt has changed his attitude? Or if hes been working on a way to change everyone into animals. I always assumed that was Keenes goal with the mana pool.

Wow. Jessica’s view in the third panel is so antiquated it’s practically the opposite of what is scientifically accepted nowadays. Something that national forest services almost too long to realize is that biomes don't develop to some equilibrium and then stay there, but are periodically knocked down to other states by random disturbances. A subset of species can only persist because of this constant change. This is most evident with examples such as if you try taking something like fire out of an area, you don't get a more perfect equilibrium, but instead get local extinctions and collapse.

i remember reading in one of ricks supplemental things that aren't on the website anymore that animals don't really do long term planning, and it's interesting to see that in action. it's especially interesting to know that that does not apply to humans turned animals. perhaps if humans keep their human long term planning skills when made animals then a plan of "turning all humans into animals" may not be as disastrous as first thought

Xane wrote:This all goes back to the Housepets 10,000BC story where the cats make fun of humans for preparing for a hurricane, storing extra food, herding animals. Animals see no point in extra work. It sounds like laziness but it's more 'living in the moment' and an inability to think ahead that few animals seem to have. Miles has it but his kids were not born with it and Jack and some others probably never will. Gale seems to have it too, being prepared with medical supplies, etc. But the average wild animal finds it pointless and a useless effort that wastes energy.

Pointless, pointless, pointless... until there is no habitat and food left, or a major disaster leaves everyone in such dire straits that there is no recovery like the hurricane in 10kBC. But without such a push, Keene's vision will always have huge problems gaining momentum.

I said this a long time ago but I still believe it is true. Animals lack of foresight and planning is the sole reason why they aren't in control of the Housepets universe right now.

So seems the ECP advocating isn’t that far off from what I suggested, Steward seems to believe that he’s gonna lose his hideout and/or life if the wild animals don’t do something about it. A weirdly opener of ways belief for Jessica to have thinking nature is basically gonna fix things for them. Funny enough, Steward weirdly has the solution to the easy meat question Jessica brought up, and suddenly the coin makes sense. Steward definitely has a selfish motive if I’m right, but if animals have rights by the time he starts going coin crazy... well he basically gets to go back to his old life without having to face up to his crimes, kinda a win win thing for both pets and himself if you think about how he’d view his actions. We’ve already brought up it be good on Rick’s end to give a few more of the pets permanent jobs at some point. There’s a reason stuff like King’s upcoming job reveal and Maxwell joining the cops are topics that don’t really fade, we can all just see how much potential those ideas could have if implemented, multiple arcs could be pulled from the idea as well as a few background jokes (no one knowing how many jobs each of the Bigglesworths managing is an easy one, as is something like jokes about why none of the Housepets work at a pet shop or something like that)

This part of Jessica's philosophy seems remarkably Custom Ink -ish

Wait... So we've established that farm animals are 100% eaten? And that they are sapient?

...That's...

...Unsettling.

Looks like animals in general tend not to be big on taking the long view. The only ones we've seen that think much about the future, or plan to do anything about it, are either animals that used to be human, or animals that were directly influenced by a human to do so, like Keene.

Zesortinge wrote:Doesn't Tarot think a lot about the future?

Influenced (rather heavily) by a celestial in her case, so I'm not sure that counts.

Ryusuta wrote:Wait... So we've established that farm animals are 100% eaten? And that they are sapient?

...That's...

...Unsettling.

There is only one strip that I can recall that touches on this at all...

http://www.housepetscomic.com/comic/200 ... -your-food

I get the impression that food animals are not as intelligent. I assume it's a trait that would be selectively bred out early on in agriculture.

Not that that would be any less unsettling to many

dr_eirik wrote:I get the impression that food animals are not as intelligent. I assume it's a trait that would be selectively bred out early on in agriculture.

I don't know if we can breed intelligence out of animals. At least, if we can, nobody's tried it with livestock. You wouldn't know it without personal experience, but RL cows are actually troublesomely intelligent.

On the flip side, there are a few species of livestock I wish we could breed to be smarter. Sheep are as dumb as a bag of rusty hammers.

Ryusuta wrote:Wait... So we've established that farm animals are 100% eaten? And that they are sapient?

...That's...

...Unsettling.

Putting a unsettling +1 Card on it the table: what if some poor Human was also turned into a cow and noone knows it?
another +1 Card: or how those animals are pleaing for their life in the slaughterhouse.

leinglo wrote:Looks like animals in general tend not to be big on taking the long view. The only ones we've seen that think much about the future, or plan to do anything about it, are either animals that used to be human, or animals that were directly influenced by a human to do so, like Keene.

A lot of people aren't much on the "the long view" either. In fairness, the short term is often too compelling.

As a human himself (sort of), this argument he's overhearing is winning Marion toward Steward and away from Jessica.

biddyfox wrote:i remember reading in one of ricks supplemental things that aren't on the website anymore that animals don't really do long term planning, and it's interesting to see that in action. it's especially interesting to know that that does not apply to humans turned animals. perhaps if humans keep their human long term planning skills when made animals then a plan of "turning all humans into animals" may not be as disastrous as first thought

In case you wanted to read it again. http://web.archive.org/web/201512110944 ... s-7500-bc/

Xane wrote:Actually that could be what Pete and Dragon meant by the high price to pay for 'equivalence'. The only thing that could push animals to think like humans is a disaster of such epic proportion that ALL animals are forced to think like humans.

You have it backwards. The demigods aren't relegated to foster equality though indirect means like that, however "While [human animal equality] can be forced with enough miracle power, the material world runs on natural law and not miracles. Keep in mind that the food chain is still intact in Housepets, and if your hamburger can file a grievance against you, things aren’t going to stay stable for very long."

The squirrel is slowly but surely encroaching on the conversation. Oh, the suspense!

D-Rock wrote:Finally, someone says it!

The comic is now asking the big questions!

Xane wrote:This all goes back to the Housepets 10,000BC story where the cats make fun of humans for preparing for a hurricane, storing extra food, herding animals. Animals see no point in extra work. It sounds like laziness but it's more 'living in the moment' and an inability to think ahead that few animals seem to have. Miles has it but his kids were not born with it and Jack and some others probably never will. Gale seems to have it too, being prepared with medical supplies, etc. But the average wild animal finds it pointless and a useless effort that wastes energy..

IceKitsune wrote:I said this a long time ago but I still believe it is true. Animals lack of foresight and planning is the sole reason why they aren't in control of the Housepets universe right now.

I thought it was 4000 B.C.

But yes, I completely agree with both your statements.

Silly Zealot wrote:

Xane wrote:This all goes back to the Housepets 10,000BC story where the cats make fun of humans for preparing for a hurricane, storing extra food, herding animals. Animals see no point in extra work. It sounds like laziness but it's more 'living in the moment' and an inability to think ahead that few animals seem to have. Miles has it but his kids were not born with it and Jack and some others probably never will. Gale seems to have it too, being prepared with medical supplies, etc. But the average wild animal finds it pointless and a useless effort that wastes energy..

IceKitsune wrote:I said this a long time ago but I still believe it is true. Animals lack of foresight and planning is the sole reason why they aren't in control of the Housepets universe right now.

I thought it was 4000 B.C.

But yes, I completely agree with both your statements.

5,000 B.C. was the trio of Satau arcs, 7,500 B.C. was the short story. I don't know of anything for 10,000 B.C. or 4,000 B.C..

Oh dear, the Fridge Horror* is settling in.

Also, over the real long term the ecosystem will settle down to the simplicity of fire or ice. Or maybe both, when the sun becomes a Red Giant then a White Dwarf.

In the meantime, do all squirrels go to heaven?


* Warning, TVtropes.

Geez guys, let a squirrel sleep. I always thought that animals (with the possible exceptions of some of the wolves, and Gale) were the equivalent of kids/teenagers in the HP! universe.

Champion Wallace wrote:As a human himself (sort of), this argument he's overhearing is winning Marion toward Steward and away from Jessica.

biddyfox wrote:i remember reading in one of ricks supplemental things that aren't on the website anymore that animals don't really do long term planning, and it's interesting to see that in action. it's especially interesting to know that that does not apply to humans turned animals. perhaps if humans keep their human long term planning skills when made animals then a plan of "turning all humans into animals" may not be as disastrous as first thought

In case you wanted to read it again. http://web.archive.org/web/201512110944 ... s-7500-bc/

Xane wrote:Actually that could be what Pete and Dragon meant by the high price to pay for 'equivalence'. The only thing that could push animals to think like humans is a disaster of such epic proportion that ALL animals are forced to think like humans.

You have it backwards. The demigods aren't relegated to foster equality though indirect means like that, however "While [human animal equality] can be forced with enough miracle power, the material world runs on natural law and not miracles. Keep in mind that the food chain is still intact in Housepets, and if your hamburger can file a grievance against you, things aren’t going to stay stable for very long."

Interesting backstory stuff here. Personally, I got the impression Rick had long since abandoned the 7500 BC setup as in comic, it didn’t seem like it held true in later comics. Perhaps it did help that characters like King, Keene (and some but not all of his siblings), and to some degree Miles and the wolves had a hand in making most of the pets question how things in the future need to be planned for and things in the moment should be looked at with more scrutiny. It’s the likely explanation for why a lot of the main cast started to act more human overtime in the comic. Wonder how much of this Rick setup intentionally, as funny enough, the wild animals feel like they are full of most of the characters that haven’t figured out the benefits to acting human yet. Wonder if Thomas has been having a similar uphill battle talking with at least Sophia about getting equal rights

Firstly, Marion looks very cute in the second panel. Secondly, I don't think Karishad ever freaked out like that before...I wonder what's going on with him.

An allegory about "Global Warming" in the making?

Rutabaga is a funny word.

fenrirblack wrote:Fear tactics or Steward is not a complete monster, you decide. Even still one can be a bad guy with good intentions, the ends justify the means so to speak. It is possible that Steward does care about animals and the environment but so does PETA and so did Joel and we know how all that worked out.

Minor correction, some people who work for PETA cares, but the organization itself does not. They just want you to think they do so you'll give them their money. Most people who work for PETA have no idea how evil the group is. Possibly, that situation is relevant to the discussion of Steward, too.

Of course, WE don't actually know how evil Steward is in this situation, because we've never heard him tell his motives and intentions.

NHWestoN wrote:An allegory about "Global Warming" in the making?

I don't feel global warming is where this is going. I think it's talking more about expansion and overpopulation.

Nobody wrote:

fenrirblack wrote:Fear tactics or Steward is not a complete monster, you decide. Even still one can be a bad guy with good intentions, the ends justify the means so to speak. It is possible that Steward does care about animals and the environment but so does PETA and so did Joel and we know how all that worked out.

Minor correction, some people who work for PETA cares, but the organization itself does not. They just want you to think they do so you'll give them their money. Most people who work for PETA have no idea how evil the group is. Possibly, that situation is relevant to the discussion of Steward, too.

Of course, WE don't actually know how evil Steward is in this situation, because we've never heard him tell his motives and intentions.

What I believe is that Steward is not good or evil. He is more of a neutral person. He does good things and bad things, while trying to make sure he stays an a somewhat well off position. He does things that are selfish and things that are selfless, and he seemed to be good at hiding his intentions before he was transformed.

Interesting how "equilibrium" applies to both the ECP and nature. One is natural, while the other is controlled. In the circle of life, predators eat prey. In the ideals of Keene and others, everyone, including animals get equal rights. However, as some people stated, animals in Housepets don't have the foresight. They would have a difficult time adjusting without some direction. If animals were given rights as humans, the "equilibrium" would be just as out of balance as the forest, where everyone starts fending for themselves until a new predator/prey cycle starts up once more, with humans having a more active role within the cycle.

Suddenly, I'm getting Animal Farm vibes...

The sad part is, even if they took away all the lighters, gasoline and matches, I'm sure Kari would still find a way to burn down the forest by accident.

Amazee Dayzee wrote:The sad part is, even if they took away all the lighters, gasoline and matches, I'm sure Kari would still find a way to burn down the forest by accident.

Somehow, if he managed that, I think that no one would be hurt, no one would be permanently displaced, and for some reason it would work out better in both the short and long term for anyone not malicious.

On the flip side, Tiger might blow up the woods just by stopping to have a picnic...

Shame on you, Steward, you're keeping Marion awake with your talking... He's interested in it, though. I don't think the food chain thing can be related with this ECP program, and human civilization hasn't to do that, in any case... I'd say that Jessica is right, the nature repairs everything with the time. Oh? Did you really do something terrible as that, Karishad?

The thing about the ECP is that I don't think it is an all or nothing type of system. It's much more complex but at the same time simple. The thing about animals becoming equal is that they have to choose that for themselves like passing a citizenship test. The same applies to pets. Think of it as registering to vote even. So if say Jess wanted to be Equal to humans then she would have to decide that for herself or she could decide to remain a feral animal without any rights. No one, not even Keene, would expect some grand sweeping law that affects every single animal pet, feral, etc so that suddenly they can't be eaten or kept as pets because society would not be able to function. There is also the fact that animals may not want or understand that they are equal. You can't just tell a cow, "you are free, I don't own you anymore, get off my property." There are so many problems of where are these animals supposed to go now. What are they supposed to do for work? How are they supposed to survive because as it has been pointed out animals do feed on one another and if suddenly hunting each other is against the law then that is a problem for a lot of reasons, the biggest being how are you supposed to enforce that.
The ECP at it's core is supposed to establish that animals are the same as humans (even though most aren't). This is especially true for pets who exist in a gray area between not being wild animals but not being fully human. I'm not saying every pet has to get a job but the point of the ECP is that they CAN if they WANT. There are A LOT of issues that have to be worked out but I think Keene's main goal is that everyone has the right to choose (or a chance) to be equal or live as ferals. They can't be denied equality because of what they are like Miles or even Cory.
I think the problem that most animals have when it comes too foresight is that they have not learned or developed it. Look at the wolves. A few years living in human civilization and they are more human then they were back in the early days. This is most obvious with with the cubs who were resistant to school until they realized that they can't go back to the way things were.

Amazee Dayzee wrote:The sad part is, even if they took away all the lighters, gasoline and matches, I'm sure Kari would still find a way to burn down the forest by accident.

I think you're underestimating human...I mean vulpine ingenuity