Most of us have been brought up being told to respect the sanctity of life and that we don’t have any right to take away any individual’s right to live. However as a kid as I tried to grasp the complex issues of life, death and other issues in that ballpark I remember noticing many divisions created by man concerning this very simple rule for the sake of our convenience that have probably blurred as I have grown older. I used to wonder what gave man the right to consider the human life as the most important life form in the entire chain of species. I used to think if being at the top rung of development gave us a right to classify and rank life and say that the life of a person is more important than that of chicken, cow, deer or even an insect. How can we scream murder at the event of a death of a human being and still not bat an eye lid when announcing hunting seasons across the globe for pleasure, or squashing a bug or a mosquito in our living room or even while eating non-veg during various meals? How does the eating of plants after killing them place the vegetarians on a higher moral ground to read out lectures to the non vegetarians? How can a killing of bugs in houses by use of pesticides be differentiated from the mass genocides in various countries by a hate propaganda driven government? Should the killing of an ant squashed beneath some kid’s feet attract lesser attention that the death of some gangster shot dead by a stray bullet just because the former doesn’t stare us in the face? For that matter should the assassination of a world leader attract more of our attention span than say the death of a child after starving from hunger in a third world country?
Just some points to ponder over as I tried to get through my initial observation as to how we have placed the human life above all other life forms that have co existed with us for ages even though we all were probably treated to our share of lessons on how a life is a life no matter who it belongs to.
P.S. On a lighter note have any of you ever wondered that even though we are told that the soul never dies and its only the human body that dies, HOW the world population keeps on burgeoning by every passing minute?
25 comments:
Very deep n thoughtful
Different beliefs to your Q
Mine is that yes! the soul never dies but
the soul never comes back...the new borns are always new souls
...so there!
So if cannibalism is made legal, will things be fairer according to you?
@koi pahailee Thnx, but that makes for a very bustling an overcrowded heaven/hell doesnt it?
@janani Wat????? U got that from what in the post?
Survival of the fittest... aint it?
Since the human race has somehow managed to dominate the world, we decide. Of course, its not fair. But then, that's the 'jungle law' for you!
As for an overcrowded hell/heaven... the reason you think in those terms is because you are imagining souls to be much like humans... that they too have a concept of space. But think beyond that...
It is a very tricky question. And, there might not be an answer.You just get used to the idea that these things happen.But, is'nt it supposed to be that way? *bulb*
Was chillar's treat that bad? that made you think about all these things?Hmm...
hey
great post...completely agree
I think you may find some of the Jain philosophies interesting, if you dont know about them already.
Read some of the other stuff...love the Swades post..made me miss India as well! :( and I did get goosebumps too!! mission accomplished I guess :p
I think I'll keep visiting, if you dont mind can I link you up?
@Casablanca Should we be practicing jungle law only coz we can? As abt the soul thing how would you know abt whether or not they have a concept of space ;)
@totti Absolute bulb there or should I say you pulled a Totti :), as abt Chilli's treat someone wouldnt know coz someone was too busy doing his kriyas
@Shruti Thnx, that Swades post is very close to my heart too and am glad to know managed to make you feel that ways. Feel free to link me, shall drop by ur blog sometime
A soft hearted guy you sure are Rohan.
Just imagine how many restless souls are around us & u'll never wonder how the population is burgeoning!!
well i'm vegetarian and i choose to believe that even though plants are alive, they are of a lower consciousness (otherwise they wouldnt just be there waiting to be plucked) and thats what i choose to believe in..i know loads of people disagree but i won't impose my beliefs on anyone..
anyway between plants and animals, i reckon plants are the lesser (and healthier) of the two evils =D
@Random Thoughts Hmmm restless indeed :)
@Mahima Aha that sounds like a suspiciously fishy 'suit myself' theory indeed :)
join AOL to get answers to THE conundrum!!!
totti though shall be punished for using my account to post a comment.. I wonder if I have some password of yours that I dont know:-p I will crack that!!!
Politics and sensationalism.....dat could be a plausible answer to ur qs....
AquaM
You just reaffirmed my belief in your sensitivity Rohan....very thought provoking and well written. I have pondered about these things a lot in the past year and not been able to find an answer. I still don't get it how the President of the US deems himself to have the power to decide which turkey gets to live on Thanksgiving. Pardoning a bird? Give me a break. We decide who lives and who dies. We must be God.
well, it either suits me or i starve :P (i'm SO not willing to do the latter)
but having said that, i don't feel guilt for believing in what i think is right..for me (note: FOR ME) i think murdering a plant is anyday better than murdering an animal..
for me =)
@Susu Ewwww no AOL for me plzzz, mebbe u can use his blog password to rant abt AOL and save all those ppl from shelling out 120 bucks like Totti :)
@aquamarine Yup they can used to simplify the answers to all those questions, but then again they can be the answers to most questions we ask ourselves in life
@M Thnx, I was going to use that use that phrase 'playing God' in the post too but I let it pass thinking it was too extreme an expression but it is true all the same
@Mahima Mebbe if all those plants turned into venus fly traps and stuff they might make you feel a little more guilty then? ;)
P.S. Dont starve urself :)
Rohan, Sire i have been tagged for the blog tale. I was planning on working on it over the weekend, but umm..kinda forgot all about it! hehe..sorry..
Well, i will do it asap ok.. =)
Psst..Casa said you're a control freak *points fingers at casa*..
Medha!!!!! That's it... no more gossip for you! You shall not hear any more 'masala' from me :p
*walks off in a huff*
OH NO...WHAT DID I DO!!!
Okok..Rohan, she dint say anything!! I take my words back. Just skip that comment, pretending like it was NEVER THERE!!! Ok?? We dont gossip about you..really!!!
Casa, can i get my daily dose of gossip now?? Ooooh pretttyyy pleaaaassee!!!
@medha I shall ignore ur first comment as u asked me to. I shall also ignore "And i told him what you told me about him. And i will also reveal all the other stuff that u said!!". However I shall not ignore it if you continue to precastinate on the blog tale tag. I gotta live upto a reputation you see as a lil birfie flying in from HK tells me I m sposed to be control freak (watever....) :)
EH...ARE YOU THREATENING ME?!?!
HUH HUH ?!?!
You better not, im telling ya! :p
Medha, blog tale blog tale blog tale. Puhleez?
Muah!
Rohan, new post new post new post.
All... hehe, just in a crazy happy mood today. Pliss to adjusht ;)
YA ROHAN, New post...puhhleeeezzz!
=D
By the way, why do u have SUCH a plastic smile in this profile pic of yours??
Nono, Casa and i were REALLY not gossiping abt it. Really!! :p:p
lol
@Casablanca After effects of too much caffeine in the system I say, u dont get a thnk u for directing so much energy and gossip time on me btw and no I will not blog for 'the sake of blogging' :)
@Medha As far as the pic goes, that as good or plastic as it gets :)
I think your beautiful:)
@Anonymous Thnk u, that line would have done James Blunt proud ;)
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