"....Comparative psychologists have studied the question of whether or not nonhuman animals have knowledge of their own cognitive states by testing a dolphin, pigeons, rats, monkeys and apes using perception, memory and food-concealment paradigms, he explains.
"The field
offers growing evidence that some animals have functional parallels to
humans' consciousness and to humans' cognitive self-awareness,
Comparative Psychologist J. David Smith says. Among these species are
dolphins and macaque monkeys (an Old World monkey species).... Source: UB Reporter
I have been counseling my progressive pug, Monty, but he displays resistance.
Monty
has a hard time coming to terms with the state of the world. Although
our therapeutic relationship is confidential (won't mention the
problems with mom), Monty has allowed me to share some things with my
readers.
He gets deeply upset to think that supposedly smarter animals, like humans, don't understand what they are doing to the planet and all of the other animals.
Long sessions of cognitive restructuring and behavioral modification have not seemed to help poor Monty move beyond this dysthymia that he has had for several years.
Monty is a deep thinker. He considers what the world could be like using technology and resources to build a sustainable world. He also gets highly upset to know that 95% of America's wealth is owned by 1% of the population. To Monty, this is worse than a 'dog eat dog' world'. This is monstrous!
Still, I have tried to get Monty to
focus on some good things happening in his life, like his recent chewy
toy and his new Halloween outfit. But this gloom over the state of
America and the world is constant. Even a little turkey will not break
his depression.
But perhaps Monty is right.
Is it wrong to be upset and perhaps even depressed about an inhumane and brutish world on the brink of an eco-system collapse?
I think I will try a new therapeutic approach with Monty.
I will try to get Monty to channel that sense of gloom and despair into action. Maybe a good old fashioned sit down or a protest out in the fresh air will lift his spirits.
I guess when I think about it, I have been wasting my own time. I have been trying to get Monty to stop thinking about global climate change, pollution, bankster rip offs, wars, big brother, health care reform, privatization of public resources, and all of the rest of the greed, banditry, and rip offs.
Instead of stop thinking about it. Monty has been right all along.
We humans should start thinking. It might make us a bit upset, but if we take action it will certainly make for a better world.
