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This Episode I mention how important it is to be in touch with reality no matter how painful it is. I think it is the best way to live, and it also allows us to embrace life, and only by being in touch with the reality of the world we are living in can we be effective in helping to better that world. I talk about the dreams I have which are not fantasies, but rather are about a future that I will probably never get to live long enough to see, which is however, a plausible future, a plausible reality. I wistfully imagine what it would be like being there to help solve the problems that will be need to be solved in a vegan or at least a more vegan world - how to undo the damage to the environment, how to help the surviving domestic animals and provide homes for them for the rest of their natural lives, how to sustain ourselves as ecologically as possible. These are my dreams; my reality is I am here in this utterly non-vegan world, and before we can solve the issues that will arise in a vegan world we must first wake people up to veganism. But I also feel that veganism and ahimsa go so much further than just abolishing the direct use of animals as our renewable resources; there are other ways that we as a species destroy the lives of non-humans for so many other frivolous reasons. We need to learn how to live, we need enlightenment, because our methods of entertaining ourselves as a species are also unnecessary, and are also causing the destruction of the non-humans we share our world with. If you want to know what enlightenment is, watch an animal. They know how to live, and we have a lot to learn from them. Observe how they live, and I don't mean copying their physical lifestyles, I mean watch how they enjoy the moment, something we have forgotten how to do. If we learn to appreciate life by living in reality the way they do we will learn how to live again. And we won't need to "entertain" ourselves with noise polluting machines and virtual worlds and violence and other destructive activities. Noise pollution is one of the most destructive and harmful side effects of our constant search for "entertainment". So we also need to face those truths. But those are my dreams only; my reality is firstly to try to open up people to change the fundamental way we look at all other living things, and that starts with educating people about the basic reasons for veganism, which starts with seeing the moral imperative of abolishing the use of animals as our renewable resources. Then we will be able to lead ourselves to address the other issues we have a duty and a responsibility to be real about.
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Hey Knuckles, thanks for the shout out! Site address is www.theveganmentor.com if anyone is interested. And thanks for another great podcast - you brought up a lot of things I hadn't thought of before (the film industry & destruction of habitats for example).
ReplyDeleteHi Knuckles! I just read a piece about "bull fighting" - so this reality check concerning frivolous entertainment, couldn't have come at a better time for me. I do know too, here in the U.S. the busiest days for veterinarians is Jan 1 & July 5... Fireworks are certainly harmful to wild and domestic animals... and all needlessly so.
ReplyDeleteThanks for another enjoyable listen :)
Hi Knuckles
ReplyDeleteGood on you for starting this podcast. It is quite a thing to put yourself out there, and takes some courage. I have listened to a few of your podcasts now and for most part sympathize with what you say, especially around staying positive etc which can be hard to do when you see indifference and suffering all around you. I have to disagree with something in this one though. I agree that animals are sensitive, and can be vulnerable, and that we are often uncaring about the effects our activity has on them. However, I don't think it is correct to position them as this all the time. In fact it is disempowering (to us and them) to only position animals as vunerable and in need of our protection. Animals are capable of acting in their own interests, can often protect themselves, and are enduring. It helps to remember this - otherwise I think you can become hyper sensitive to suffering at the cost of your own mental health. This doesn't mean we shouldn't take action - of course we should - but we can choose our battles. (And I agree that fireworks suck!)