Living In A Bubble
Humanity has been given an amazing gift – unfortunately many of us are Living In A Bubble. We inhabit this magnificent planet – a world of abundance – with incredible diversity and rich resources. There are open plains, vast deserts, massive forests and magical waterways with species far too numerous to mention. There is enough for every person and creature.
NOTE: Some Pictures or Content May be Graphic or Disturbing To Younger or Sensitive Readers
Everywhere we look – birds are soaring in the air, fish swimming in the depths of rivers, lakes and oceans. Animals roam the valleys, the mountains and the forests. Unfortunately many humans don’t appreciate this gift – nor respect the fragility of the connections between the great systems that make up our home. We are so self-absorbed that don’t think of the earth as a living entity – and we don’t believe that animals should have the right to live here with us – without cruelty and exploitation.
Sadly – a great divide exists between people who “have” and those who “do not”. Those of us living in affluence have beautiful things – we live in safe neighbourhoods in nice homes. We have food to eat – clothing to wear and jobs to support our lifestyles. We want for nothing. Still many of us are not content. We chase an elusive, external happiness at the expense of a rich, internal understanding of the privilege of life. We wear appropriate social masks to prevent our true characters from showing. We are living in a bubble. Entire cities – cultures and countries live in massive bubbles and within these are the individual bubbles in which we exist. Worlds within worlds.
Those who “have” often turn away and work on the premise that governments will look after the dis-advantaged. We don’t want to be inconvenienced. When asked why we don’t care we wrap ourselves up in our self-righteousness and our indignation and our isolation. We are protected – secure – unaware and we like to be separated from things that are unpleasant. We don’t want to know. We are “busy” with family, children, friends, jobs, vacations, hobbies, cultural pursuits, pets, cottages and travel. We have meetings to attend, schedules to keep and promotions to chase. We live in the light and do not want to explore the shadows.
Just outside of our bubbles real life is happening to our fellow humans and far less fortunate animals. Wars are raging, genocide is devastating people, corruption is rife, greed and power rule. Still we turn away because if we don’t see – we can’t be responsible. Our apathy gives power to those who control us with their rules, regulations, propaganda and fear. In a bizarre two way dance – we agree to this – a small price to pay for our comforts. We are told what is good for us and as long as there is no nuisance factor to consider we acqusiesce. So we are regulated – spied upon – lied to – taxed – cheated and forced to obey laws (often archaic) and we shuffle along and smile and don’t question. In Europe and the west, “awakened” people should be marching peacefully in the streets with giant banners proclaiming “enough”. Governments are very pleased that we are “bubbled” instead – it makes their lives so much easier.
My own bubble was punctured seven years ago when I became aware of the steady annihilation of some of the most iconic creatures in the world. It wasn’t that I didn’t care – I was just very busy in my bubble – I didn’t think – I didn’t know – I didn’t even know that I should be thinking. If you have a caring heart and a well engaged conscious – the pathway of animal awareness and advocacy – once stepped upon – cannot be untrodden.
Once I was aware – I could not pretend that I didn’t know. Still there was a lot of air left in my bubble – it was a slow leak. It was another three years before I really looked seriously at animal issues and made it a personal mission to understand how humans are behaving in the world. Those of us in the bubbles of privilege have a responsibility to those less fortunate – we just don’t want to fulfill these obligations. If you think about the most heinous cruelty visited upon man by man – it is an egregious thing. But that still has no equal to what we are doing to animals around the world.
Think about this for a moment – there is NOT one second of any day in any country (ever) when an animal is not caged – confined – hunted – poached – abused – tortured – brutalized – made to suffer or killed. It NEVER stops. What gives us the right to maim and kill on such a massive level? We humans believe in our superiority. What we want we shall have and we use any excuse necessary to justify our actions.
There are many days when I long for my former life – I miss the security – the peace – the not knowing. No horrible pictures to look at – no need to really think about how I live in the world. No questions to ponder about responsibility – no petitions to sign or letters to write – no moral choices – just me and my bubble.
The truth is that governments do what is expedient – they spend their political capital where it gives them the greatest return and this is NOT on animals or environmental issues. We – those who care and have made a personal commitment to the equality of all living beings – have to make a difference.
In no particular order – this is what we humans do every day!
We cook animals alive. Dogs – cats – lobsters – turtles – we don’t care.
We skin animals alive – foxes – wolves – dogs – cats – rabbits – snakes and alligators for the fur, fashion and leather industries. We worship the celebrities on the red carpet who wear these blood products. We want to be just like them because we falsely believe in this marketed image of human perfection.
We engage in dog fighting – cock fighting – bull fighting – stallion fighting – boar baiting and bear baiting. We like to be entertained! The bloodier the better.
We starve animals to death. Many of these animals are our pets.
We chain animals to make them obey – it’s best to start when they are young and defenceless. Fear is such a great motivator. This sweet pup was rescued from a dog fighting gang.
We use animals for depraved entertainment like kangeroo and monkey boxing – donkey basketball – elephant polo – road side zoos – marine parks for captive whale and dolphins – petting zoos for lion and tiger cubs and cowboy rodeos for men and women who have no compassion and caring.
We notch the ears of pigs so they are easy to recognize.
We teach our children that it is fun to engage in pig, rabbit and chicken scrambles at fall fairs.
We put live snakes in bottles to make snake wine.
We attend a circus when we know that the animals are trained by brutal, ignorant people with punishment – fear and torture.
We chain dogs outside – winter and summer without adequate care.
We engage in trophy hunting (often of endangered species) and canned big cat hunting. So very proud of themselves – big, brave men.
We leave dogs (kids too) in hot cars to die a horrific death.
We tolerate cat – rabbit and puppy mills where animals are subject to unimaginable brutality. We buy animals from stores who source their stock from animal mills.
We discard race horses and grey hounds who are no longer winning and pets who have displeased us. They have ceased to have any value.
When animals become an inconveniene or a financial burden to humans – we don’t look for solutions – we don’t ask how we contributed to the problem – we just kill them. So we organize hunting parties – culls – aerial round ups and trapping lines. Armed with our moral indignation we slaughter creatures who we have determined are unnecessary. Governments are complicit – even encouraging this carnage when they allow wolf trapping – horse round ups – badger culls – bird culls and bear hunting. Self-satisfied politicians smile for the photo op – the problem has gone away – aren’t I special? Now remember me at election time!
Victims of the badger cull in Scotland.
We are not enraged by animal “crush” photographs and vidoes. This is someone’s daughter or sister – probably a teen-ager. Small animals such as kittens and rabbits are considered a soft crush – whereas a large dog is a hard crush. The resulting videos are shared and sold online. Where are her parents? Busy in their bubbles!
We do not demand strong laws to protect animals. Every animal abuser should be subject to this formula: FIND – NAME – SHAME – FINE – JAIL.
We do not believe that animals have rights.
We perform cruel, completely unnecessary animal experiments for the beauty industry, the military complex, big drug companies, the sports industry, universities and cleaning product companies.
We look the other way as massive livestock ships leave ports on 30 to 40 days journeys across rough seas. This animal – a living being coated in excrement – will then be slaughtered in some mind-numbing way by brutal, ignorant people.
We do not hold this man accountable for his cruelty. We look away. This sweet, little soul is a prisoner. Look at his little hands.
We look away from an ever-increasing form of grotesque animal brutality – beastiality.
We use culture and tradition as ready excuses to justify our appalling behaviour.
We say that “God” wants us to sacrifice animals to appease him.
We use terms like “humane slaughter” to sugar coat our killing.
We brand animals (wild and domestic) – we cut off the genitals and tails of piglets with no pain medication. We don’t want them to inconvenience us. We de-horn cows and goats just as readily. Imagine someone grabbing the hand of your little boy and cutting off his pinkie finger!
We toss living male chicks onto assembly line grinders – they have no value.
We support factory farming because we believe that killing animals is our right. We want to produce animals cheaply and conveniently and then kill them as quickly as possibly behind closed doors. Time is money. Why do you think that Big Ag doesn’t want the public to see what they really do.
These animals have only been stunned – they are still alive. Prior to arriving here they have been driven down kill shutes with electric prods or clubs. They see and hear the animals in front of them as they are “processed”.
The real thing … so darned efficient.
If you say – I’m only one person – I can’t help – then climb back into your bubble and stay there. You may never change – that’s your choice. If you’ve read this list of the things that people are doing to animals – and claim that you can’t help in any way – you are content living in a bubble. It’s best that you stay out of the way of those who have awakened to the incredible difference that one determined person can make!
If knowing that we slaughter billions of animals every year doesn’t matter to you then go back to sleep. It is 2013 – animal cruelty and the tyranny of animal exploitation and suffering is unprescedented. If you do care – pick a cause – awaken your passion – get involved, stand up, speak out, talk about what you have learned and say …
“Enough”
