Opinion

A worthless goldfish

To us he may not have been even just a goldfish. The curiosity value expired some time after he arrived in a tank with three or four other goldfish five or six years ago, a gift from friends leaving the country. One by one the other goldfish died and he'd been alone in the tank for four years or so, and he was not even a momentary distraction to the eye.

Yet I worried about him, and I'll admit that because I worried about him I worried from time to time about my mental health. I worried that he wasn't getting enough stimulation, so we moved him to a busier part of the house; I worried that he was lonely, but my wife said she'd read it was cruel to force companions on a goldfish used to being alone; I worried that the noise of the noisy filter drove him nuts, so I fixed it occasionally but I didn't fix it often enough.

The worry didn't keep me awake at night but I did feel that my family had an obligation to this fish given that we were his captors. How could we improve his lot? Should we bother?

He died this week, at the age of 16 years! Sixteen years trapped in a tank! To my surprise I'm sad that he's died and at the same time I'm sorry that he endured 16 years in a tank.

But could there be any life more worthless than that of a goldfish? It was clear, given his anticipation of feeding time, that he valued his own life, but did that matter? We tend, I think, to assess the value of the life of an animal on its rapport with us, but we never assess the value of that life to the animal. I think the goldfish valued his life, and therefore his life had value, and that's why his loss of that life saddens me. Am I confirming my idiocy?

Posted By: Jeff Corbett on 27/08/2009 6:16:00 PM | Comments (48)

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You didn't notice Robert Borsack hanging around your place of late, did you?

Posted by Scott Hillard, 28/08/2009 10:19:35 AM, on The Herald

JC, I'm very sorry to hear of the demise of your fishy friend. However, I have a feeling that it represents an opportunity missed. If you had any inkling that "fishy" was feeling poorly, you should have immediately invited Mr Borsak to your place to capitalise on the situation. No doubt Mr Borsak would have been feverishly polishing his weapon at the prospect of popping a cap in to his fishy "ass" (after first passing an errant bullet "harmlessly" through its head). Not only would Mr Borsak get his jollies, but some much needed hard currency would come the Corbett household's way for the purchase of food and moustache wax. *Caution: this post contains elements of satire.

Posted by Directeur Sportif, 28/08/2009 10:35:49 AM, on The Herald

There are hundreds of thousands of lives of infinitely less worth than a goldfish: kiddy fiddlers and sex offenders. If only they could be disposed of as easily instead of the billions we waste imprisoning them/rehab/GPS ankle trackers etc. To my knowledge no goldfish ever ruined someone's life. All life is valuable until one's actions proves they fall out of the human race. I am a vegetarian and have been for past five years as I believe no living thing should suffer just for me to eat - but my courtesy does not extend to human waste (eg. Anita Cobby killers, child killers etc) - GET RID OF THEM. FLUSH!

Posted by Jamie, 28/08/2009 10:39:09 AM, on The Herald

You only confirm your idiocy if you could lay claim to constructing the goldfish exactly as the one that died or any other animal that dies needlessly, senselessly or cruelly.

Posted by MizJasper, 28/08/2009 10:52:23 AM, on The Herald

Watch Nemo, the fish in the dentist tank hated it, they longed for the open ocean. So do reptiles, snakes especially are never content to be in captivity. They also have the instinct to be able to survive when released. So release them. Humans don't want to be in gaol, so why would you think other animals enjoy it. Remember Jeff, all drains lead to the ocean.

Posted by Buell, 28/08/2009 11:36:49 AM, on The Herald

Hi Jeff, Your owning up to feelings for a goldfish shows what a genuine human being you are. The mistake our specie makes is assuming we are special. We are just another of the animal kingdom, here by freak cosmic accident. We tend to think we are better because we are us. No doubt dolphins think they are. I do know one thing is for sure; I can't spin a web, I can't make honey from nectar, I couldn't find my way from Australia to warmer climes elsewhere if I felt the urge to migrate. What I am good at is kidding myself I'm better than the rest when I'm no better or worse than your goldfish.

Posted by Vic, 28/08/2009 11:41:11 AM, on The Herald

We do have an arrogance, Vic, and I think it is bolstered by the churches' assurances that we alone have a soul, that we alone go to heaven, that animals have been put on earth for our purposes.

Posted by Jeff Corbett on 28/08/2009 11:45:29 AM

Buell, thats all well and good in theory, but in practise its quite different. How long do you expect a goldfish to last in the ocean? Matter of fact can a Goldfish even live in a salt water environment? What are your thoughts on dogs as pets? they are locked up in back yards like prisons, or what about pet birds in cages? what about pet Ferrets or Rabbits? Do you believe its cruel for all of them to be kept as pets considering "their natural instincts" will ensure of their survival out in the wild?

Posted by Nafe, 28/08/2009 11:48:54 AM, on The Herald

Looks like the nut is soft on the inside after all.

Posted by Chef Dude, 28/08/2009 12:18:57 PM, on The Herald

Buell - if you are going to release goldfish please release them into the ocean - that way they will die. Goldfish are CARP, and it is idiots who have released aquarium fish into our waterways that are responsible for the degradation of our rivers and the near extinction of native fish species in many areas. The same applies to telapea (sp?) and other freshwater exotics.

Posted by Directeur Sportif, 28/08/2009 12:19:17 PM, on The Herald

Nafe, why so serious, the quote was from a cartoon disney show. But seeing that you are in a knot, a goldfish swimming around and around does not seem fair to me, and i have seen very big man made ponds which it would live close to it's natural way. As for the other pets you have mentioned, it very much depends on how you treat the animal. My dogs enhance my life and i enhance theirs, I'm sure the same can be said about rabbits. As for birds i hate seeing them in cages or avaries, it is not what they are put on this earth for. If you were a pigeon would you rather be hanging around tall buildings and roosting or in an cage. And those lovely rosella's that people love to show off in a small cage. Well i like seeing them in the trees thanks. As for reptiles they never ajust and always want out, no matter what the guy with his pet python tells you, they want out. And can you be carefull with your freudian slip in your fatherhood blog.

Posted by Buell, 28/08/2009 12:34:40 PM, on The Herald

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