"1. Being or having no beneficial use; futile or ineffective. 2. Incapable of functioning or assisting; ineffectual....See synonyms at "futile."
- American Heritage Dictionary, 1992 Third Edition.
What very different definitions these are. 1: that which cannot be used, 2: that which can't become effectively involved.
The two both suggest a kind of disconnect. They also both imply action, not inherent worth, with all of this talk about futility.
Or ideas.
But not living creatures.
There is nothing in these first two definitions for "useless" that suggests the editors were talking about living creatures. It sounds much more about process, about dead ends in such.
But most people don't read dictionaries. I know that.
I got to thinking today about how people frame the idea of "useless." Often it does involve living creatures.
Example: humans referred to as "teh stupid." Yeah, I've done it too. Fun, isn't it?
Some of them are actually stupid, but that's not their fault. Others are ignorant, poorly schooled, emotionally damaged, mentally ill.
Useless.
Though not their fault, generally speaking.
My dog is useless. He's a border collie. I got him from the shelter.
Ain't he a sweetie? Useless. Horribly brontaphobic; goes postal when there is a thunderstorm anywhere near here. Even if I can't hear it. Jumps fences, breaks windows. Really high maintenance dog.
He's helped me keep at least a modicum of sanity these last few years. But that's an intangible. This dog is useless.
More useless: my easement. Well, not my easement. The city owns it; I'm supposed to keep it up. Mostly I rebel and try to let it grow as wild as I can get away with. I'm supposed to keep it mowed, I expect.
Mexican hats on the easement
Useless.
Opuntia (prickly pear). Invasive. Horrible little glochids (the tiny little spines, not the big ones). Stupid desert plants.
Useless.
Weird arthropods. I've specialized in them. We have quite a few around here.
People hate them.
Me and a vinegaroon (Mastigoproctus giganteus, a large immature)
They're predacious and non-venomous and eat cockroaches and likely beetle larvae that feed on plant roots.
No matter. They're weird looking. Creepy.
Useless.
Texas horned lizard. Well, people mostly like them, but unfortunately the primary food source of the Texas horned lizard is harvester ants, which give a nasty sting.
Never mind that harvester ants are really gentle critters, and are unlikely to sting you, if you are aware of them and don't mess with them, and that additionally it's possible to lure them around here and there with seed, etc.; if you need to work in a piece of your place near their nests. Never mind that if you learn about them, you can keep from getting stung at all.
Here's the lizard:
Has to eat nasty ants?
Useless.
Agave. I finally got the opportunity to talk to the guy who runs this garden. I made a point of complimenting him on letting his huge Agave americanas work through their long life cycle without feeling tempted to trim off the dead leaves as they wither. What a pleasant conversation that was; he told me that there is no need to trim the dead ends of the leaves; when the plant flowers, it will pull back all of it and do it by itself.
I knew that.
"Right." I said.
Lovely.
These Agaves are called century plants; I think it takes about 17 years? before they flower?
And meanwhile, all that crappy looking withered ends to the leaves.
Useless.
I could go on, but I think you get the drift.