soapbox rant

[kambriel]

I just saw this story linked in veil's journal:

http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2006/12/22/giantsquid_ani.html?category=animals

How upsetting. Not only the fact that they killed it, but also the fact that they'll invariably keep hunting these creatures down now for "research". When they say:

"Now that we know where to find them, we think we can be more successful at studying them in the future."

You mean, you're happy that you'll have more opportunities to kill them? Is it actually beyond the human capability to just leave something alone? What in the world makes humans feel so entitled? Because we can cut up and "study" another creature, does it somehow prove we're the best and brightest, or cement our place at the top of the evolutionary pyramid? Seems to me, we've only lived here for a short flash in the cosmic pan, and perhaps ~ just maybe these creatures who've managed to survive many epochs longer than us with far less devastating impact on the earth, might have a bit more of an overall clue and a far better chance at long term survival (as long as we don't completely destroy the environment for them first).

And then the little comment about how they "don't think these giant squid are in any danger of extinction" ~ that's pretty obviously just an elementary way to disavow themselves of any potential feelings of guilt for what they've done. Riddle me this ~ if they say giant squid are so incredibly plentiful in the sea, why would each and every rare "specimen" they find be so dearly sought after and coveted for this important "research"?

Humans. As a race, we don't always understand that some things just don't need to be "understood". We think of any creature that is not human to be somehow less than. Every now and then, it really would behoove us to leave some of the things in our world a mystery, especially when unravelling that mystery involves the taking of an innocent life or disrupting a delicate balance. Don't get me wrong, science can be a beautiful thing and I believe there are many cures to be found in nature (and that's precisely why we need to leave nature *natural*), but in some ways, intelligence is both our greatest gift and our biggest downfall... If only we could learn how to balance our intelligence and desire for knowledge with an inner understanding that some things are better left ~out~ of our all too eager and impatient hands.

~ Kambriel

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Comments

[kambriel.livejournal.com]

Behaviour like that just seems so utterly selfish. It's all about ego ~ wanting to be "known" for discovering something new and mastering it, rather than a genuine appreciation for the differences amoungst what our world has to offer.