One thing that surprises me is the growing affection in the West for pets instead of children. It's kind of amazing a woman will settle for the immediate pleasures of a dog (cuddling, happy to see you usually), but will miss out on the immensely satisfying long-term rewards of having children (e.g. friendship, conversation, care taking when older, raising a fucking human being). They will take dogs out and literally pick up their steaming shit BY HAND DAY AFTER FUCKING DAY and won't give serious thought to having a child. Literally having a dog is just like having a baby that will never grow up.

Is this a compensatory mechanism by which women who can't have children (men won't stick around, or they're unstable) will settle for dogs? Or is this women just wanting to have a low-maintenance companion? Or is it just plain stupid?