I apologise if it came across as sneering. It's just an opinion.
Shall I be argumentative about a discussion happening on the periphery of my attention?
Oh go on then!
I tend towards the belief that there's no such thing as
just an opinion (and certainly not a humble one - was there ever such a phrase to make my blood boil). Opinions are really important, and the fact that something is 'mere' opinion, should by no means be used to brush it aside. The very phrase 'mere opinion' suggests that an opinion is something formed without careful consideration; a horrifying thought! When I assert that something is my opinion, I am making a statement of conviction, achieved after as careful a consideration as possible, of as much evidence as I can obtain. That's not to say that I always reach such heights of considered reason, but I won't commit myself so entirely as to describe something with the jealously reserved tag of 'my opinion' otherwise.
On the matter in hand, I'm delighted by MV's argument. I think I might have said something similar to Thor, but I'd have regretted it when I read MV's response. The idea that compassionate feeling has a kind of universality, and that those who would put resources into caring for animals might be those who would do likewise for human beings, and would make their sacrifices elsewhere has great appeal to me, and really wasn't something I'd thought on. Nice one.