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

[Kambriel.com ~ Etsy ~ Twitter ~ Tumblr ~ Facebook]

Comments

[meddevi.livejournal.com]

The last Discovery program where they did the same thing over the summer, they managed to get some stills of one, and the poor thing lost one of it's longer pincher limbs in the process...I don't know how they could be so excited when they've just mortally injured the animal???

and I just saw an article today on the freshwater dolphin in China that's now classified as 'functionally extinct' due to human activities.

mankind really just sucks.

[kambriel.livejournal.com]

I once saw a special on PBS where they had a Japanese scientist who kept introducing shocks of electricity into a tabletop sized aquarium to show how the electrical impulses made the fish "jump". He was supposedly proving the connection between reports through the years that people made of certain fish jumping out of the rivers before an earthquake. That's all fine and good to show that yes, animals are perhaps more sensitive than us in some ways, but there was something about the way he was performing this experiment (which wasn't an experiment anymore since he had already proved his point) that just seemed utterly sadistic. If a fish didn't jump "enough" for him, he'd just keep introducing more and more powerful electrical shocks. He seemed utterly mad with the rapid and repetitive tapping of his machine. It really disgusted me.

I find myself hoping that some of these species will find a way to remain hidden from us. Their best protection is for us *not* to find them.

[veil.livejournal.com]

much more eloquently put than what I said... it's so sad :(

[dark-phoenix54.livejournal.com]

It's that same feeling that makes me so mad whenever that one commercial shows- it's for some kind of truck or SUV. They are looking for the Loch Ness Monster... when it shows up and trounces the car, they're yelling "Shoot it! Shoot it!" like they hadn't just invaded it's area. I mean, I know that's not real, but it's how a lot of people feel about critters.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_siddal_/]

I never understood why people feel they should do something just because they can. It's like, why can't you just leave well enough alone??

[angelik-fiona.livejournal.com]

Soem humans are so cruel to animals and so thoughtless.

I cant stand it.

Im highly involved in animal welfare and animal rights.

I even do private undercover investigations in places that test on animals.

I then bring my findings to the public.


Things I've seen during these udner cover investigations are heart aches.

If only people knew.

[miss-adventure.livejournal.com]

Ugh. It reminds me of the late Victorian "conservationists" who would shoot and taxidermy animals in order to "preserve" them. As a fledgling biologist, it infuriates me that such cruel and outdated research methods are still being used.

[kambriel.livejournal.com]

Thank you for doing this work. I really do believe that if people were more involved, or had better knowledge of the process of things like factory farming, they'd re-think some of their actions/choices/decisions. The thing with people, is we often become too distanced from what goes on behind the scenes and just skip to the enjoyment of the finished product.

[kambriel.livejournal.com]

I totally agree. Many people have forgotten what self-control, delayed gratification, and long term goals are.

[kambriel.livejournal.com]

The commercial bugged me too. I'm glad it doesn't speak to everyone, that gives me hope :)

[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.

[gorey-ballerina.livejournal.com]

I peeked into your journal to see your holiday pics (as you mentioned in your Goth Royalty post) and I saw this entry.

It makes me sad that the giant squid was killed in the "research" effort. What were they planning on doing to the squid, exactly?

I agree with you. Creatures on this planet stand a better chance for survival if humans can't get to them. :(

On a related note, it makes me sad that so many people don't even TRY to be informed consumers. It used to be the case that finding cruelty-free products was difficult and expensive, but nowadays, there's just so MUCH out there for the people who bother to look. I just wish people in general would try think before they act, and consider the consequences for OTHERS as well as THEMSELVES.

[tonks-kittygoth.livejournal.com]

why did they kill it? I thought they just filmed it. I hate them, I hate people. we are such mean awful monkeys.

[angelik-fiona.livejournal.com]

I know and this si the reason people like me go behind the scenes.

Our mission is to bring to light what happens in the factories that most people are unaware of.

I have seen so many people change their attitudes thru the work i do.

At time, it is very heartbreaking to see what thoughtless people do. It seems as if they have no heart or soul.

They just dont care and I have ehard that people like that are the ones that become murderers.

No wonder our world is so violent and people wonder why, most the violence is promoted behidn the scenes and people are just unaware of it all.


I have run into alot of peopel that just want to igniore what goes on and I say "I'd rather know, then be stupid and blind of it. I'd rather know, so i know what to do about it. I'd rather make a difference and do my best to change the world for the better. The more we know, the more willing we are to change it."

People who just dont care, want to ignore it, and dotn want to open their eyes to what really goes on really bothers me.

[kambriel.livejournal.com]

They ended up causing it's death when they tried to catch it. Apparently the squid put up a struggle (rightfully so). Hopefully we're not all awful, we need lots of people with a clue to help balance others out.

[kambriel.livejournal.com]

You're absolutely welcome to stroll around through the journal :)

It's true that information is pretty easy to come by if you're looking for it ~ the problem is, many people don't care to look. It's so much easier nowadays to do thing like being vegetarian, etc... than it was even a decade or two ago with all of the new, healthy alternatives. There's really no "need" for a lot of the more harmful products out there to be continued to be consumed.

[tonks-kittygoth.livejournal.com]

Well... I guess I'm glad they didn't try to kill it... but what were they thinking... GIANT SQUID, .. not easy to catch safely

I like to think we aren't awful, but then I interact with some of us again, and my misanthropy grows. Then again, sometimes I find nice decent people and it shrinks back a little.

[bluegirlb.livejournal.com]

:(

don't we have some sort of wonderful technology that can go harmlessly among them and observe and record how they live as opposed to how they die?

[kambriel.livejournal.com]

You know, that would make too much sense...