I write a lot about the importance and necessity of human development. I talk about the need for critical thinking. I talk about how being stupid is, at the very least, shameful. Critical thinking is important when it comes to more abstract, tangible things, rather than something visual and clear. When it comes to literature or philosophy, for example, a person is required to be able to reason logically, ask challenging questions, and seek answers. That’s why people with underdeveloped critical thinking are so rarely interested in “higher” matters.

Generally, critical thinking is the norm for adults and mature individuals. But we have a major problem with it. Developmental “glitches” are becoming more and more common. And it’s easy to observe: look at how many people blindly believe certain ideas without questioning their veracity. And how many times have you encountered tactless questions, with the kind of simplicity that’s “worse than theft”?

By the way, what’s called “idle curiosity” is also a symptom of uncritical thinking. Children may be “just curious.” And for adults, this very critical thinking allows them to put themselves in someone else’s shoes, to imagine how they feel, whether curiosity might hurt someone, and whether a question is appropriate. Normally, these abilities develop around age seven. But that’s normal. So, “we have what we have.”

In fact, this is a very serious problem. This is precisely why society has turned into a “flock of controlled sheep.” This is precisely why there are so few people in society inclined toward “emotional response.” This is precisely why those in power who should, at best, be slogging it out with a broom are in power. This is precisely why scammers are able to raise funds “for aid.” And so on and so forth.

Dear People! Guests and new residents of Odessa! What makes you think anyone owes you anything? Just explain your behavior. All around you are ordinary people just like you, with exactly the same rights and responsibilities as you. And I am just as human as you, a citizen of our country!

And instead of calling me specifically, thinking that I or my shelter are some kind of communal structure obligated to do something in accordance with the established procedure, try to apply your critical thinking and realize that you have come to the wrong place. That we are not obliged to do this, and will not be able to due to the obvious limitations of our resources – both material and human!

But what’s even better is to just try doing it yourself! Help them, feed them, take them to the clinic, find them a family!

After all, saving is work and self-sacrifice! Giving up your resources for the sake of the life and health of another. And these requests and demands are about caring not for the animals, but for yourself. So that someone else would make things comfortable for you, not the animals, so that your mood wouldn’t be ruined. With someone else’s hands, money, time, health…

It’s all in your hands! Replace me in any of the areas! Give it a try! Just to be clear, to feed one of this flocks, you’ll need to spend over an hour on foot, with a bag of food on your back and a bucket of water in hand. And that’s all you need to have is that bag of food. Ready?

But no one calls you about this, right? It just needs to be done, and it’s done regularly!

…By the way, the whistle never works. They don’t hear…