I'm finding this modern existence makes it difficult to live a life that doesn't contribute to the suffering of others.
I recently heard a piece on NPR (Fresh Air) that bothered me tremendously (I've been talking to Stiles about it, a bit). It was about an upcoming movie that focused on the way a specific town in Japan captures and sells dolphins. The dolphins that are not sold are then killed. The podcast for the show is located here.
Now, normally, the needless killing (in my opinion) of self-aware creatures would be something that would only make me sad. Mass slaughter of anything living is nothing to feel good about - regardless of the creature. But what really got to me was the way these dolphins were treated. Specifically, the capturing and handling of the animals is designed to wear them down and terrorize them so they are more easily controlled in captivity.
This got me thinking, "How much suffering do I contribute to this world through my very existence?" Meaning, simply by existing - in America - how much am I responsible for the suffering of other people/animals?
I'm not against the death of creatures, per se. I am an omnivore - I like steak. And lamb. And chicken. However, the idea that someone, or something, had to suffer in order to satisfy a need of mine fills me with tremendous.....guilt? Regret? Powerlessness? I try to buy clothes second-hand; reducing the likelihood that a 10-year-old Malaysian girl is going blind and missing an education so I can get cheap crap from Old Navy. I never shop at Wal-Mart and the like; I believe work should be compensated fairly and that unions are (or at least were) a good thing. I even have my own designs on building an electric car out of a 1959 Rambler American:
This way I won't have to 1) directly contribute to the altering of the Earth's climate, and 2) none of the money I spend on gas will go to propping up repressive, tyrannical governments bent on subjugating their own people (as well as others).
I eat organic food and support local business because I'd rather my money stay in my community and not make some rich person who works in a skyscraper far away from me even richer. I try to help old ladies across the street. I recycle.
But this is hard to do 100% of the time. There are moments when I simply cannot buy second-hand clothes (if I want a job), or eat organic food (if I'm traveling, or out with friends), or purchase fair-trade/domestically made products (because I'm poor), or drive an electric car, etc. And there's more, much more, but I don't have the room or time to go into it.
The point is - living in America is tough. It means you take more than you give. It means someone has to go without sleep because you're tired. It means someone has to go without food because you're hungry. It means someone has to go without a fair wage because you need an income. It means there is an element of cruelty directly tied to the fact that you exist. I wish it weren't so, but it is. And it's next to impossible to avoid, while being a part of mainstream America.
For all it's monumental pretension and posturing - Koyaanisqatsi is correct. We live a life out of balance:
I recently heard a piece on NPR (Fresh Air) that bothered me tremendously (I've been talking to Stiles about it, a bit). It was about an upcoming movie that focused on the way a specific town in Japan captures and sells dolphins. The dolphins that are not sold are then killed. The podcast for the show is located here.
Now, normally, the needless killing (in my opinion) of self-aware creatures would be something that would only make me sad. Mass slaughter of anything living is nothing to feel good about - regardless of the creature. But what really got to me was the way these dolphins were treated. Specifically, the capturing and handling of the animals is designed to wear them down and terrorize them so they are more easily controlled in captivity.
This got me thinking, "How much suffering do I contribute to this world through my very existence?" Meaning, simply by existing - in America - how much am I responsible for the suffering of other people/animals?
I'm not against the death of creatures, per se. I am an omnivore - I like steak. And lamb. And chicken. However, the idea that someone, or something, had to suffer in order to satisfy a need of mine fills me with tremendous.....guilt? Regret? Powerlessness? I try to buy clothes second-hand; reducing the likelihood that a 10-year-old Malaysian girl is going blind and missing an education so I can get cheap crap from Old Navy. I never shop at Wal-Mart and the like; I believe work should be compensated fairly and that unions are (or at least were) a good thing. I even have my own designs on building an electric car out of a 1959 Rambler American:
This way I won't have to 1) directly contribute to the altering of the Earth's climate, and 2) none of the money I spend on gas will go to propping up repressive, tyrannical governments bent on subjugating their own people (as well as others).
I eat organic food and support local business because I'd rather my money stay in my community and not make some rich person who works in a skyscraper far away from me even richer. I try to help old ladies across the street. I recycle.
But this is hard to do 100% of the time. There are moments when I simply cannot buy second-hand clothes (if I want a job), or eat organic food (if I'm traveling, or out with friends), or purchase fair-trade/domestically made products (because I'm poor), or drive an electric car, etc. And there's more, much more, but I don't have the room or time to go into it.
The point is - living in America is tough. It means you take more than you give. It means someone has to go without sleep because you're tired. It means someone has to go without food because you're hungry. It means someone has to go without a fair wage because you need an income. It means there is an element of cruelty directly tied to the fact that you exist. I wish it weren't so, but it is. And it's next to impossible to avoid, while being a part of mainstream America.
For all it's monumental pretension and posturing - Koyaanisqatsi is correct. We live a life out of balance:
Every action a person takes causes a corresponding reaction. The trick is to not cause harm clallously or unnecessarily. The best way to live is to follow the Golden Rule, which unfortunately is not always possible or practical in the complicated, multi-dimentional world we live in.
You are a thoughtful and introspective person. My guess is that you're doing the very best you can. That's all one can ask of themselves.
I realize now that what I wote in my previous blog wasn't so terrible, especially for SG. What affected me was the memory of being victimized by a few members' age bias when I first joined thie site. I should have recognized that the difference between then and now is that my many friends know the real me. Regardless of my fetishes and other sexually related thoughts and feelings, they see me as the good and decent person that I hope I am.