Objects as pets?

I've been researching the relationship between people and their pets this weekend as part of my final for the appliance studio. It's kind of awful to reduce pets to the level of an object. But for my project, my hope was to change the relationship a person has with a product to be similar to a relationship shared by people and their pets.

So first, I went to Petco. Although I didn't see many people with their pets there, I learned a lot from my reaction to seeing and being around the animals. There's something about being in close proximity to a small furry little rodent or bunny that makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. There were animals as tiny as mice and rats to medium and larger animals like ferrets and bunnies and even a chinchilla. I was filled with a sense of delight and wonder that was incomparable to the feeling I get from walking around a department store or appliance store filled with manmade objects. Perhaps for some people, the sight of a highly coveted gadget or article of clothing illicits a similar warm feeling. For me, I have yet to experience the same reaction I have of being around pets in a setting with objects. And so, I ask myself, can a person really relate to a product as if she were relating to a beloved pet? And what is it about a pet that is so endearing that makes a person want to give it care and affection? What kind of meaning is intrinsic to an animal? Is it also intrinsic to a product?

So I started with some basic observations and comparisons. Small animals like rats and hamsters are about the same size as many of the the objects on my desk. The forms of small animals are round and pleasing. Same goes for the form of my favorite mug. The function of my mug is pre-decided by the designer as a vessel for liquids. The meaning of the mug is far more complex and emotional. Mine was made by a friend and given to me as a present last Christmas. I use it regularly for tea. The function of an animal or pet is decided by nature. The meaning my pet rats hold for me is once again based on my own personal experience. Pets are constant companions that are comforting to have around at all times. My mug is an invaluable companion during chilly nights for when I want to curl up with something to read. So far, the two seem very similar. But while I can say that I take care of both my pet rats and my mug, I definitely don't care as much for the wellbeing of an object as I would towards a living creature. There are days when my mug gets dirty from use and I leave it unwashed in the sink. However, there's not a day that goes by when I don't feed my pets. So I come to the conclusion that it is because pets require and demand more attention and care that I care more about them. Pets are both autonomous and dependent. They have lives of their own, but still need an owner to feed them and pick up after them. If an object demands my attention, I would attend to it. It's just that machines were made with the intention that they wouldn't demand so much attention. This is especially true for appliances. Certain infomercials boast about appliances where you "set it and forget it!" But by doing that, people don't bond with the appliance. Therefore, the interaction with the machine lacks care and emotional investment. When it comes to pets, the owner invests a lot of time and attention, and in the process creates emotional attachment and meaning. Interaction, preferrably regular and prolonged interaction leads to the creation of meaning and bonds. Why shouldn't people share the same bond with their appliances as well as other products?