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Displaying items by tag: Extinction
Displaying items by tag: Extinction
Displaying items by tag: Extinction
Tuesday, 27 July 2010 15:47
Human Rights?
What is morality?
The dictionary defines morality as:
–noun, plural -ties for 4–6.
1. conformity to the rules of right conduct; moral or virtuous conduct.
2. moral quality or character.
3. virtue in sexual matters; chastity.
4. a doctrine or system of morals.
5. moral instruction; a moral lesson, precept, discourse, or utterance.
6. morality play.
Most definitions are circular, only the first is useful.
What is right?
–adjective
1. in accordance with what is good, proper, or just: right conduct.
(Other definitions omitted for brevity)
What is good?
–adjective
1. morally excellent; virtuous; righteous;
Again in circle, we go back to morality where we started.
What is Just?
1. guided by truth, reason, justice, and fairness
The dictionary will make us go in circles round and round. The truth is, that morality is not a factual concept. Its an "idea". And as rationalists we seek consistency in ideas and concepts.
We say Humans have "rights". But we base them on what grounds? Because humans can feel physical and emotional pain? But we fail to define any DNA boundary for Homo Sapiens as no two humans have identical DNA and also we fail to define any emotional or physical pain threshold cutoff - we don't even know how to measure them. For example, do rights end after emotional pain 5.96 and Physical pain 3.21?
What is a Human? Is human a sequence of DNA? It couldn't, because every human has a different DNA pattern. In fact, our DNA is not much different from our most close evolutionary cousins.
"...However, from a genetic perspective the gaps in genes between us and our closest animal relative is arbitrary. We just happen to be the lucky survivors in the evolutionary race. As a thought experiment, it's perfectly acceptable to imagine a world where all the genetic "gap species" were still alive. Thus, between us and the bonobo there would be a continuum of living beings, all almost identical to their genetic neighbor. In such a world, it would be impossible to draw a line between us and the bonobo ..." - Dr. Richard Dawkins
The point is, there is no set or exact sequence of DNA that we can say has “rights”. Something like a Kilogram in France. There is a platinum iridium cylinder called Kilogram in France. All other weights are measured from it. There is no sequence of DNA in any museum or lab called the "THE Human DNA Sequence".
Then what is a human? A collection of body parts? Eyes, legs, arms, teeth etc? What set of body parts can we take and say "(Humans) Rights apply to these body parts: "Eyes, legs, etc". "Those who don't have these parts, or loose them in an accident have no rights." There are no such parameters. Even if there were, how do we decide which body parts to include and which to exclude? Who should be a template and why?
Then what is a Human? A set of behavior or traits or abilities? Like writing, singing, inventing etc? Do we say, “Those Lifeforms that can produce a sound agreeable to certain other lifeforms, those lifeforms that can produce marks on a paper agreeable to some other lifeforms and those lifeforms capable of making a rocket have rights, and those who cannot don't.” Also how do we arrive upon these traits and what about the unique ones like the ability to “see” magnetism, or to "see" in the darkness, or to navigate with your head etc?
Again there are no such parameters. We give human rights to illiterates, tribals, non-singers, non-writes and non-inventors, non-ricket scientists, criminals, (but not to homosexuals), imbeciles, infants, human vegetables etc.
Then, are “Humans” a set of lifeforms capable of physical pain and suffering? Not all humans can. Humans sleeping, imbeciles, coma patients, infants, humans on anesthetic etc. No two people can feel the same emotional or physical pain - which we cannot even measure to begin with. After which emotional or physical threshold shall we say (human) rights end. An MMA fighter can have a higher physical pain threshold than others. We all react to emotional stimulus differently. Some go mad and commit suicide on the death of a loved one, some take it pretty well and still manage a functional life.
The truth is, there is no such thing called "Human". "Homo Sapiens" is a tag that has no logical footing. The is no iron clad set of genes or a set of body parts or a set of abilities or range of emotions that make a “Human”. Its a polite fiction, but a useful one nonetheless, like imaginary numbers.
According to Darwinian Evolution, all traits evolved slowly and successively over thousands of generations. In the words of Dr. Richard Dawkins, the "mount improbable" was not climbed in a single leap, but a gradual slope. The keyword is “slope”.
For example, there are many different kinds of eyes that evolved independently from one another using different evolutionary pathways. And an underdeveloped eye is still better than no eye. Just because an eye evolved independently from human eye does not mean its not an eye and cannot perceive light.
This is then only logical to conclude that the ability to feel physical and/or emotional pain also evolved in gradual steps over millions of generations and species by similar or independent mechanisms rather than in one giant and abrupt leap for mankind alone.
This shows that other animals, who are our evolutionary "cousins" and share the same one common ancestor with us have also evolved the capacity to feel emotional and/or physical pain either using similar or independent evolutionary mechanisms that served as building blocks of human pain and suffering. Similarly, underdeveloped ability of pain and suffering is “better” than no ability for pain and suffering and is of significance to those who possess it.
The ability to experience uncomfortable sensations can lead to the difference between survival or extinction since only by avoiding acute uncomfortable sensations can an animal succeed in her ability to transfer her DNA and become an ancestor herself. To this extent, All lifeforms, including plants are sentient.
If humans can have their own version of rights, it's only logical and scientific to conclude that the ability to feel pain and suffering is not an exclusive domain of humans alone and that other lifeforms may have them in equal, underdeveloped or overdeveloped form and that non-human animals have rights too.
There is a difference between: "All Life will Extinct" and "My life will extinct".
Although we say humans are no different, life has no purpose, everything is meaningless etc., the truth is that when we get wronged, we seek justice. We don't sit at home and ponder the meaning of life.
Since human rights and equality are based on emotional and not scientific, logical and factual parameters, its emotional to assume that other animals have rights too.
If we ask people if all humans are equal they'll say yes, but if we then ask them why the answers are incoherent. I think that's because people often look for some sort of factual equality. In fact we're not the same. We do differ yet we say we're equal. I think what that shows is that the principal of equality is not a principle of factual equality but a moral principal that is essentially saying all humans have interests and its irrelevant to how we should consider those interest whether that humans are male of female, black or white, Christian or Muslim or any other differences that you might have. If thats the principle that lies behind a very important idea that all humans are equal then we have to say well non-human animals have interest too and those interests should also be equally considered. That means not necessarily that animals ought to be treated equally with humans because their interest will differ. - Peter Singer
Either we should have anarchy and not have the concept of rights and justice or if we choose to have them, then what criteria can be used to cherry pick? What constitute rights and who shall have them?
If we choose to be logical and consistent, then this is one of the best things we can do: If you have power, take it. All is within bounds if you can do it. No rights, no morality. No meat is out of bounds. Survival of the fittest. Might is right.
If we choose not to have the above, then the question arises :
What is morality? What is a Human? What is Right? What is wrong? Who should have them? Who should not have them?
To this extent we strive for logical consistency as much as possible. Why do we say that a “human vegetable” has human rights? Why do we say infants have full human rights and killing a 6 month old baby, much less sentient than a hen is a punishable crime - even if we kill an abandoned poor orphan on a street out of pity? Why do we say imbeciles have rights? Why do stop people from killing themselves even if they want to die and not test on them but kill an adult chimpanzee and test on them even if they don't want to die?
Surely, "Human Rights" is a farce. Its based on non-sense, illogical and non-scientific parameters.
The only logical alternative is to have universal rights encompassing all lifeforms - bacterias, plants and animals etc.
This may sound illogical and nonsense. Why? Because it is. But this is our predicament of existence. The concept of rights will never be logical and scientific. The concept of rights should never be logical and scientific.
Then how will we live morally? Well, the other side of the "human rights coin" is as illogical and nonsense: give something call "(human) rights" to something absolutely non-existent. (Clarification: This is not to say they WE don't exist or that the label “Human” or “Homo Sapiens” do not exist. It means the association of the label “Human” with a lifeform is not based on any logical, rational or scientific parameter. Also, the reverence or divinity of this label is also questionable and can be described to be dogmatic as best.)
The feeling that members of one's own species deserve special moral consideration as compared with members of other species is old and deep. Killing people outside war is the most seriously-regarded crime ordinarily committed. The only thing more strongly forbidden by our culture is eating people (even if they are already dead). We enjoy eating members of other species, however. Many of us shrink from judicial execution of even the most horrible human criminals, while we cheerfully countenance the shooting without trial of fairly mild animal pests. Indeed we kill members of other harmless species as a means of recreation and amusement. A human foetus, with no more human feeling than an amoeba, enjoys a reverence and legal protection far in excess of those granted to an adult chimpanzee. Yet the chimp feels and thinks and, according to recent experimental evidence, may even be capable of learning a form of human language. The foetus belongs to our own species, and is instantly accorded special privileges and rights because of it. Whether the ethic of 'speciesism', can be put on a logical footing any more sound than that of 'racism', I do not know. What I do know is that it has no proper basis in evolutionary biology. - Dr. Richard Dawkins, The Selfish Gene
This is how we proceed if we choose to proceed logically and wish to have morality. We divide existence into need and want. If needed, we're allowed to take. Not otherwise. Not for wants. And we must innovate before we can take. Taking should be the last resort. Mosquito or a so called "Human" threatening you? We take care of it.
A word of caution: I am not proposing “Utilitarianism” here. Utilitarianism is a euphemism for immorality. It says, if you want it, take it. What I propose here is what we all do anyways, and that is, if you need it take it. They are two different ideas that are poles apart. I do not believe in utilitarianism and neither do I profess it. This is a very subtle difference to understand. I am not condoning theft either.
This can be understood as another example:
Taking some honey from bees is a most benign practice. Far less violent then ploughing a field and planting grain and legumes.
Ploughing a field and planting grain and legumes is a necessity of human survival, not a want. Everyone who wishes to live a relatively healthy and long life has to eat fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds and grains irrespective of their additional food choices. Every breath we take kills. Only the dead are free from “sin”.
Honey is not an essential nutrient and can be easily substituted by Agave, Rooh Afza, etc.
To commit one unnecessary crime only to justify it with a necessary one is to be misguided by some idea of a misplaced sense of morality. We cannot use a necessary evil to justify an unnecessary one.
Its like saying, "It's all right to commit a little fraud to make our ends meet, because we sponsor our governments to shoot humans anyways. Far more moral than murdering a human".
Our governments are suppose to shoot humans to protect the interests of the society at large. Even in a society where "human" rights are acknowledged, killing humans is a "necessity". This cannot be used as an excuse to commit any other benign act of immorality or violate someone's right unnecessarily.
In jurisprudence, its called the "principal of least harm".
In other words, "Lets be little or completely imperfect just because we cannot be completely perfect" is a sophistic argument. Like they say, “It's better to do inconsistently good than consistently bad”.
This is where we draw the line: "Principle of least harm". No doubt as long as any lifeforms exist on earth, rights will be violated. So either we should have no concept of rights, or a universal one. This is the only logical alternative for a rational mind. Anything in between will be based on an inconsistent, illogical, non-scientific and biased variables.
Studies show us that meat eating hurts the non-humans. This is science. If science is not accepted, then we should also eat fetuses and other humans (infants) who cannot defend themselves or are powerless to do so like other non-humans. We should not worry about wiping the human race since there is no universal morality. (Like we care anyways?)
If we wish not to do so then the only logical and scientific alternative we have is to say "we have rights and that these rights are based on emotions and not science and since its based on emotions other lifeforms (like insects and plants) have rights too and if needed, we take it with least harm to the best of our scientific knowledge and ability". Again, this should not be confused by utilitarianism. We know enough today to produce cruelty-free food, clothings, entertainment and medicines for all intent and purposes. Only under rare circumstances, like in self-defense, do we need to oppress. Not because we want to, because we have to.
Science show us we can do pretty well on a vegan diet and mock meat irrespective of whether we are herbivores or omnivores. This coupled with the fact that meat eating violates human rights since it deprives millions of clean water, land and food because of the massive energy loss in meat production. It also damages the environment and the rainforests. Therefore we say meat eating is "immoral" and cruel; if we believe there is something called "morality". This is again backed by science.
If we do not accept that there is something called “morality”, then the only logical, scientific and rational alternative is a free-for-all anarchy. There are two words in the dictionary: moral and immoral. There is no word called "partlymoral" or "semimoral". No one is one hundred percent immoral. Partial morality is defined as immorality. Either you are moral or immoral. The world is in shades of gray for those who are morally color blind.
The word "rights" is powerful enough to stand on its own feet. It is not a slave of prefixes. There is nothing called "human" rights or "animal" rights. Either there are rights or there are wrongs.
How do we punish non-human oppressors?
Well, if a child commits a murder, and if the child is below 18, an entire different set of laws apply to them. We don't hang criminals below 18. We rehabilitate them and they have special juvenile correctional facilities.
Non-humans are like children. I hate to compare them, as no non-human has to live up to the expectations of humanity, but just for the sake or argument I'll do it anyways.
Hens have an IQ of 1 year old humans, Pigs 3, some fish 5 and so on. Apart from this, they have many senses that humans don't, like "seeing" magnetic north, super-smell, night visions etc. But most importantly, they have all been shown scientifically to feel at least physical pain through mechanisms similar or different from humans.
Because they are like human children, the subset of human rights that apply to children should also apply to them.
Just like we don't let our children vote, we need not extend this to non-humans. Just like if a 6 year old shoots a classmate we don't hang him, we treat the non-humans the same way.
Further Reading:
I used to think that the brain was the most wonderful organ in my body. Then I realized who was telling me this. - Emo Phillips
The Case for Animal Rights
http://www.amazon.com/Case-Animal-Rights-Tom-Regan/dp/0520243862/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1280219049&sr=8-1
Growing Up in the Universe
http://www.kranti.org/knowledge-base/media/lectures-and-presentations/item/302-growing-up-in-the-universe.html
Time Out Magzine Interview
http://www.kranti.org/connect/blog/manuj-chandra/item/310-time-out-magzine-interview.html
Published in
Blog
Friday, 25 June 2010 09:45
The Price of Beef
Published in World Watch Magazine, July/August 1994, Volume 7, No. 4
Published in
Global Warming
Tuesday, 22 June 2010 10:01
Time Out Magzine Interview
When did this group start and how did it come about?
The Bangalore Vegan group was started by Mr. Dilip Bafna of Animal Rights Fund, India on April 2008. He had a vision of providing a fertile ground for vegans and non-vegans to come and explore the multifaceted benefits of a vegan lifestyle.
Does it make sense to be a vegan today? How so?
According to the director General of the World Health organization, the biggest threat facing humanity today are climate change, rising of new and old epidemic diseases, hunger, heart diseases, obesity, cancer, auto immune diseases and loss of freshwater.[1] Many people will find it surprising to believe that all these problems can be scientifically and efficiently mitigated if the world adopts a vegan diet.
The Worldwatch institute calculated that the meat and the diary industry combined are one of the most potent contributors of greenhouse gases.[2] In fact, the livestock industry has also been shown to damage the ozone. [3]
Water footprint network found that a mere 3% of total world water is freshwater. It requires ridiculous amounts of water to produce meat and other non-vegan food products. For example, it takes 208 Liters of water to produce just one cup of cow's milk. It requires 200 liters of water to produce one egg. 13,700 liters of water is required to produce just one kilogram of beef! One kilogram of chicken requires 3500+ liters of water to produce. And the above are just global average conservative figures. Now lets compare this with the most water intensive crops - rice and soy. One kilogram of rice requires 3500 liters of water to grow whereas one kilogram of soy requires approximately 1600 liters of water to produce. Compare this to wheat that requires merely 1000 liters of water to produce per kilogram. [4]
Apart from water, on an average, it requires 12 kilograms of grain to produce one kilogram of meat.[5] In fact, 70% of the total food we grow is fed to the animals to get significantly lower quantities of meat.[6] If this food is fed to the hungry, it can solve the world hunger problem 14 times over! [7] 1.4 Billion people can be fed if just the United States of America goes vegan![8] Funneling our precious water and food supply through the poor animals who are artificially brought into this world to meet the demand for our taste for meat in a world where billions are starving and have no access to clean drinking water is irresponsible on many fronts.
Apart from that, the livestock industry is also a major contributor to land pollution. On an average, the same amount of land can feed approximately 20 people on a vegan diet and only 2 people on a meat based diet.[8] Because of this, precious rainforests around the world are being destroyed at an alarming rate to meet the sky-rocketing demand for meat and diary around the world. Worldwatch Institute calculated that in order to make just one fast-food hamburger from rain-forest beef, members of 20-30 different plant species, 100 different insect species, and dozens of bird, mammal and reptile species are destroyed – for just ONE hamburger.[9]
We slaughter a hundred billion land and sea animals every year. That's a number the human mind cannot even grasp and comprehend. The oceans are dying because of overfishing and it has been estimated that since 13 of the major 17 world fisheries are dead already, there may be no seafood by 2048. An ocean devoid of fish also absorbs less CO2 thereby worsening global warming. [10][11]
When land animals are kept in an unnatural and unhygienic environment, crammed so that they cannot even move; they physically and mentally break down. This lowers their immunity and they become a breeding ground for pandemic influenza. Its noteworthy that this does not happen for animals in the wild. Before the domestication of horses, there was no common cold! The domestication of cows turned into measles. In the last 150 years measles have killed 250 million people. The domestication of camels turned into small pox. The domestication of pigs turned into whooping cough. The domestication of chickens gave us typhoid. The domestication of ducks gave us influenza. [12] Animal use has costed mankind more lives than all the accidents, natural disasters and wars combined. And it continues to kill people in the form of cancers, auto immune diseases and heart diseases.
Numerous peer-reviewed studies by some of the most prestigious health and scientific bodies around the world have independently linked the consumption of animal protein with various types of cancers and auto-immune diseases and animal fat with heart problems and obesity. In fact, the National Academy of Science concluded that the ideal amount of trans-fat that are only found in animal products and hydrogenated oils humans should consume is zero![13][14][15] The most ambitious health study to date, the China Study, hailed as the "Grand Prix of epidemiology” and the “most comprehensive large study ever undertaken of the relationship between diet and the risk of developing disease.”, and has been peer-reviewed multiple times reached the same conclusion. A vegan diet is the most natural diet for humans. [16]
Here is what the American Dietetic Association concluded in their position paper, "It is the position of the American Dietetic Association that appropriately planned vegetarian diets, including total vegetarian or vegan diets, are healthful, nutritionally adequate, and may provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases. Well-planned vegetarian diets are appropriate for individuals during all stages of the lifecycle, including pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood, and adolescence, and for athletes." Volume 109, Issue 7, Pages 1266-1282 (July 2009) [17]
Evidence is now emerging that a vegan diet can reverse diabetes, certain cancers and heart diseases thereby providing a cheap, drug-free and healthy alternative to millions searching for hope.[13][14][15][16][17]
Another simple way to understand the benefits of a vagan diet for the planet is to imagine you are a car. According to Foodwatch, a vegan would consume the petrol equivalent of driving for 630 Kms per year. Contrast this with 2400 Kms for lacto-vegetarians and 4700 kms for non-vegetarians. [18]
There is no other one single thing we can do today to have such a significant impact on human rights, human health, the planet and most importantly the animals than to adopt a vegan diet.
The Worldwatch institute calculated that the meat and the diary industry combined are one of the most potent contributors of greenhouse gases.[2] In fact, the livestock industry has also been shown to damage the ozone. [3]
Water footprint network found that a mere 3% of total world water is freshwater. It requires ridiculous amounts of water to produce meat and other non-vegan food products. For example, it takes 208 Liters of water to produce just one cup of cow's milk. It requires 200 liters of water to produce one egg. 13,700 liters of water is required to produce just one kilogram of beef! One kilogram of chicken requires 3500+ liters of water to produce. And the above are just global average conservative figures. Now lets compare this with the most water intensive crops - rice and soy. One kilogram of rice requires 3500 liters of water to grow whereas one kilogram of soy requires approximately 1600 liters of water to produce. Compare this to wheat that requires merely 1000 liters of water to produce per kilogram. [4]
Apart from water, on an average, it requires 12 kilograms of grain to produce one kilogram of meat.[5] In fact, 70% of the total food we grow is fed to the animals to get significantly lower quantities of meat.[6] If this food is fed to the hungry, it can solve the world hunger problem 14 times over! [7] 1.4 Billion people can be fed if just the United States of America goes vegan![8] Funneling our precious water and food supply through the poor animals who are artificially brought into this world to meet the demand for our taste for meat in a world where billions are starving and have no access to clean drinking water is irresponsible on many fronts.
Apart from that, the livestock industry is also a major contributor to land pollution. On an average, the same amount of land can feed approximately 20 people on a vegan diet and only 2 people on a meat based diet.[8] Because of this, precious rainforests around the world are being destroyed at an alarming rate to meet the sky-rocketing demand for meat and diary around the world. Worldwatch Institute calculated that in order to make just one fast-food hamburger from rain-forest beef, members of 20-30 different plant species, 100 different insect species, and dozens of bird, mammal and reptile species are destroyed – for just ONE hamburger.[9]
We slaughter a hundred billion land and sea animals every year. That's a number the human mind cannot even grasp and comprehend. The oceans are dying because of overfishing and it has been estimated that since 13 of the major 17 world fisheries are dead already, there may be no seafood by 2048. An ocean devoid of fish also absorbs less CO2 thereby worsening global warming. [10][11]
When land animals are kept in an unnatural and unhygienic environment, crammed so that they cannot even move; they physically and mentally break down. This lowers their immunity and they become a breeding ground for pandemic influenza. Its noteworthy that this does not happen for animals in the wild. Before the domestication of horses, there was no common cold! The domestication of cows turned into measles. In the last 150 years measles have killed 250 million people. The domestication of camels turned into small pox. The domestication of pigs turned into whooping cough. The domestication of chickens gave us typhoid. The domestication of ducks gave us influenza. [12] Animal use has costed mankind more lives than all the accidents, natural disasters and wars combined. And it continues to kill people in the form of cancers, auto immune diseases and heart diseases.
Numerous peer-reviewed studies by some of the most prestigious health and scientific bodies around the world have independently linked the consumption of animal protein with various types of cancers and auto-immune diseases and animal fat with heart problems and obesity. In fact, the National Academy of Science concluded that the ideal amount of trans-fat that are only found in animal products and hydrogenated oils humans should consume is zero![13][14][15] The most ambitious health study to date, the China Study, hailed as the "Grand Prix of epidemiology” and the “most comprehensive large study ever undertaken of the relationship between diet and the risk of developing disease.”, and has been peer-reviewed multiple times reached the same conclusion. A vegan diet is the most natural diet for humans. [16]
Here is what the American Dietetic Association concluded in their position paper, "It is the position of the American Dietetic Association that appropriately planned vegetarian diets, including total vegetarian or vegan diets, are healthful, nutritionally adequate, and may provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases. Well-planned vegetarian diets are appropriate for individuals during all stages of the lifecycle, including pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood, and adolescence, and for athletes." Volume 109, Issue 7, Pages 1266-1282 (July 2009) [17]
Evidence is now emerging that a vegan diet can reverse diabetes, certain cancers and heart diseases thereby providing a cheap, drug-free and healthy alternative to millions searching for hope.[13][14][15][16][17]
Another simple way to understand the benefits of a vagan diet for the planet is to imagine you are a car. According to Foodwatch, a vegan would consume the petrol equivalent of driving for 630 Kms per year. Contrast this with 2400 Kms for lacto-vegetarians and 4700 kms for non-vegetarians. [18]
There is no other one single thing we can do today to have such a significant impact on human rights, human health, the planet and most importantly the animals than to adopt a vegan diet.
From a fitness angle how beneficial is veganism?
Many high-performance athletes such as Robert Cheeke - Champion Bodybuilder, Martina Navratilova - Champion Tennis Player, Mac Danzig - Mixed Martial Arts Fighter and many others have gone vegan to improve their performance. Carl Lewis won 9 Olympic Gold Medals on a vegan diet! The list of vegan athletes are everincreasing. In fact, Iron Mike Tyson has also recently reported that he has gone vegan. [19] A vegan diet, as many peer-reviewed studies conclude, is “ideal” for people who seek fitness of both body and mind.
Do you recommend this for loosing weight?
There are four kinds of fats that we can consume:
Great: Omega 3: Found in Flax Seeds, Pumpkin seeds, Sunflower seeds etc,
Good: Mono Unsaturated : Found in Avocados, Almonds etc.
Bad: Saturated Fats : Found in Meat and Diary
Killer: Trans-fats : Found only in two places; Animal Products (Meat/Diary) and Hydrogenated Vegetable Oils
It's true that you can occasionally come across an overweight vegan (due to the consumption of hydrogenated vegetable oils), or a lean non-vegan, but on an average, vegan are significantly more leaner than their non-vegan counterparts. A subset of vegan diet, called the RAVE diet can do the trick for people struggling with weight problems. RAVE is an acronym for no Refined foods, no Animal products, no Vegetable oils and no Exceptions.
So yes, a RAVE diet can definitely cut out all the bad and killer fat out of your life and you will notice wonderful results in no time without resorting to any fad crash diets and other unhealthy practices. [20]
Great: Omega 3: Found in Flax Seeds, Pumpkin seeds, Sunflower seeds etc,
Good: Mono Unsaturated : Found in Avocados, Almonds etc.
Bad: Saturated Fats : Found in Meat and Diary
Killer: Trans-fats : Found only in two places; Animal Products (Meat/Diary) and Hydrogenated Vegetable Oils
It's true that you can occasionally come across an overweight vegan (due to the consumption of hydrogenated vegetable oils), or a lean non-vegan, but on an average, vegan are significantly more leaner than their non-vegan counterparts. A subset of vegan diet, called the RAVE diet can do the trick for people struggling with weight problems. RAVE is an acronym for no Refined foods, no Animal products, no Vegetable oils and no Exceptions.
So yes, a RAVE diet can definitely cut out all the bad and killer fat out of your life and you will notice wonderful results in no time without resorting to any fad crash diets and other unhealthy practices. [20]
What are the health reasons to stay or become vegan?
Most people become vegan for ethical reasons. Therefore there are two kinds of vegan diets: healthy and unhealthy. While french fries, alcohol, cigarettes, tobacco and oily foods in general are vegan, they are not healthy. As mentioned before, a healthy vegan diet is called a RAVE diet and even if it's not followed to the letter, a conventional vegan diet is any day healthier than a meat and diary based diet. We have a mounting body of evidence today that trans-fat is one of the key reasons to get type II diabetes. Some people have even reported reversal or significant decrease in insulin intake for type I diabetes on a vegan diet low on oils.[22] India is the diabetic capital of the world. This piece of information should be god-send for people dealing with this degenerative disease that can lead to blindness and even amputation in later stages of life. Also, diary has been linked with the damage and/or cancer of the pancreas in men.[21] Women who are raised on diary reach menarche at the age of 12. Vegan babies reach menarche at age 18. Vegan women also hit menopause soon. This immediately shaves of 5-7 years of estrogen exposure thereby reducing the risk of breast cancer in women.[16]
Animal protein found in meat and diary have been linked with various cancers and auto immune diseases like multiple sclerosis.[13][14][15][16][17] Even autistic patients can benefit from a vegan diet free of wheat gluten.[23] High amounts of aluminum artificially added to cheese has also been linked with Alzheimer's.
Animal fat can give atherosclerotic plaques to humans since we are herbivores and not omnivores and they can cause heart diseases.[24][25] It's worth noting that cholesterol is not an essential nutrient, meaning we need not externally supplement it. Our livers produce all the cholesterol we need. Cholesterol is only present in animal products and no plant has ever been shown to contain cholesterol. A healthy vegan diet gives you zero cholesterol thereby eliminating any chance for us to get a heart attacks due to atherosclerotic plaques.
Its true that cancers, auto-immune diseases and obesity can have genetic causes. But genes alone cannot induce these diseases. They need a trigger in the form of animal protein and fats as was found by the China-Oxford-Cornell Diet and Health Project.[26] The chances of these disease occurring in nature due to genetic causes are statistically insignificant.
Your body will thank you in the long run for adopting a vegan diet. You will feel better, lighter and more upbeat. And of course, stay away from tobacco, alcohol and oily foods.
Animal protein found in meat and diary have been linked with various cancers and auto immune diseases like multiple sclerosis.[13][14][15][16][17] Even autistic patients can benefit from a vegan diet free of wheat gluten.[23] High amounts of aluminum artificially added to cheese has also been linked with Alzheimer's.
Animal fat can give atherosclerotic plaques to humans since we are herbivores and not omnivores and they can cause heart diseases.[24][25] It's worth noting that cholesterol is not an essential nutrient, meaning we need not externally supplement it. Our livers produce all the cholesterol we need. Cholesterol is only present in animal products and no plant has ever been shown to contain cholesterol. A healthy vegan diet gives you zero cholesterol thereby eliminating any chance for us to get a heart attacks due to atherosclerotic plaques.
Its true that cancers, auto-immune diseases and obesity can have genetic causes. But genes alone cannot induce these diseases. They need a trigger in the form of animal protein and fats as was found by the China-Oxford-Cornell Diet and Health Project.[26] The chances of these disease occurring in nature due to genetic causes are statistically insignificant.
Your body will thank you in the long run for adopting a vegan diet. You will feel better, lighter and more upbeat. And of course, stay away from tobacco, alcohol and oily foods.
So what are the alternative foods you use?
Nobody can live a long and healthy life on a meat-based diet alone - unless you want to live like the Eskimos who, on an average, live for only 20 years. [27] Even meat-eaters and diary consumers have to eat lentils, legumes, fruits and vegetables. Given the fact that humans are herbivores [24][25] and cow's milk is a complete food for you....only if you are a calf, we actually do not need any alternatives or substitutes. In fact, 60 % of the people cannot even digest cow's milk.[28] When you come to think about it, even cow's dont drink their own milk when they grow up. As stated by the American Dietetic association [17], a vegan diet can furnish us will all the nutrients we need. The complete adequacy of vegetarian diets is now so thoroughly proven and documented that even the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association has acknowledged the legitimacy of meatless diets. In an official statement, these representatives of the beef industry declared, “Well planned vegen diets can meet dietary recommendations for essential nutrients.”. That said, honey can be replaced by Agave or Rooh Afza. Many vegans replace paneer with tofu and milk with almond, rice, coconut, or soy milk.
Other than that, no substitutes are required, just a whole food, plant based diet, preferably seasonal, organic and non-genetically modified.
Other than that, no substitutes are required, just a whole food, plant based diet, preferably seasonal, organic and non-genetically modified.
What do you do for the intake of calcium?
We all know that calcium is required by the body to build bones. The bone strength is dependent upon four factors, namely, genes, diet, exercise and vitamin D. You can be sincere and you can be sincerely wrong. The diary industry all over the world promotes cow's milk as a human food often citing strong bones as a marketing mantra. Well, opinions mean nothing in science. Science tells us that moderate consumption of milk has no effect on bone density whatsoever and that excess consumption of diary can actually weaken the bones.[15] In fact, countries with the highest consumption of diary such as Finland, Sweden, USA and England also have the highest rate of osteoporosis (a disease of weakening of bones) in the exact same sequence.[8][36]
So where do vegans get their calcium? From where any other herbivores do: plants. The green leafy vegetables such as spinach, brusseles sprouts, mustard greens, broccoli, kale etc have more absorbable calcium than cow's milk.[8][29] A well balanced vegan diet can furnish not just calcium and protein but all the other essential nutrients for a healthy human body.[13][14][15][16][17]
So where do vegans get their calcium? From where any other herbivores do: plants. The green leafy vegetables such as spinach, brusseles sprouts, mustard greens, broccoli, kale etc have more absorbable calcium than cow's milk.[8][29] A well balanced vegan diet can furnish not just calcium and protein but all the other essential nutrients for a healthy human body.[13][14][15][16][17]
Do you feel this way of life limits the array of things you can eat?
Initially, it may seem like a vegan lifestyle is limiting in nature. But a visit to any vegan cooking website such as http://www.vegcooking.com can humble you. Polls show that almost all people eat just 9 types of dishes on a weekly basis in rotation.[30] It's not difficult to learn how to cook any 9 new dishes, let alone vegan dishes. That said, there are hundreds of vegan dishes from any cuisine and country you wish. Most people just drink cow's milk. As a vegan, you tend to drink coconut, rice, hemp, wheat, peanut, soy and almond milk – one type of milk every day of the week! A vegan lifestyle sensitizes your palette and you tend to savor more tastes and even plain rice tastes good after a while. So you rediscover what you have been eating all along in a new light. Once you explore your vegan options, it can actually be a bit overwhelming in a good way.
Are restaurants and super markets vegan friendly?
If you are astute, you can always find a vegan substitute everywhere. For example, there are vegan societies in almost all major cities in the world. In Bangalore, there is a restaurant called Our Native Village that has gone vegan! Also, there are bakeries like Carnival that bakes vegan cakes and pastries. You can eat vegan pizza at Little Italy and mock-meat is available in some hypermarts. Cafe coffee day has a vegan shake now. There are a slew of vegan items to choose from - from toothpastes to soaps and cosmetics. Vicco even writes "vegan" on its toothpaste. We have a range of leather free shoes from Bata. Many other vendors like JuteCottage, Baggit, GoDesign and Reebok have leather free wallets. Vegan chocolates like Bournville and vegan biscuits from Parle like Hide and Seek chocolate chips and Oreo are available in the market. More and more organic shops are opening doors. You can get a range of vegan tea at Infinitea. There are numerous Ayurvedic soaps available in the market that use vegetables as base. Over the last couple of years the choices have multiplied many folds. Becoming a vegan today is easier than we can imagine.
What are the challenges you face?
India is one of the best place for vegans. Much of our cuisines are naturally vegan or can be easily veganised upon request. That said, the most difficult aspect of being a vegan is not leaving animal products, but to live with non-vegans. Most people feel judged in the presence of a vegan even if she does nothing to promote it.[31] This leads to some social inconveniences since for many Indians consuming dairy is like breathing and they cannot imagine its even possible to live without cow's milk.
That said, as veganism is gaining grounds and as more people adopt a vegan lifestyle, its getting easier by the day to be accepted as one.
That said, as veganism is gaining grounds and as more people adopt a vegan lifestyle, its getting easier by the day to be accepted as one.
Is it hard to be vegan? Do you get tempted to eat non-vegan food?
Studies show that fatty foods such as meat and diary is addictive in nature like cocaine.[32] This is because they stimulate and overwhelm the pleasure centers of the brain and can make you crave them. Any addiction can be difficult to beat for most people. This is the reason why most people are vegan due to animal rights reasons as they altruistically put animals first. This gives them the added motivation to be a vegan. I personally do not know anybody who is a vegan for health reasons – not to say there are none.
But habits can be broken and addictions can be overcome. The only thing that can change our lives is a decision. Once you have made the decision to lead a cruelty-free, environment-friendly and humane diet, the key is not to change in one day and not to shoot for perfection. It's easy to fall in the all-or-nothing psychological ploy – since I cannot be perfect, so let me be completely imperfect. First you should cut out meat from the meal and then give your body some time to realize its not getting it anymore. Burn the bridge. Once the body has accepted this, it'll stop craving. Next, add one diary free day to your life per week. Understand that one mistake or occasional indulgences in diary does not do a diet ruin. Once you have 5 diary free days under your belt, then you will find it easy to make the complete transition. Veganism is not about perfection, it's about progress. Take your time and let the cravings die naturally. After you are vegan for 3 months, you will “forget” what meat and diary tastes like.[35] This is because taste has to be continually reinforced to be remembered. If you fail in your first attempt, do not feel guilty or defeated. After a week, try again. Try as many times as it takes to become a vegan. Take support from your local vegan chapter or from the internet. Also, experiment with new dishes at home. [30]
Of course, people who go vegan for Animals drop animal products in virtually one day.
But habits can be broken and addictions can be overcome. The only thing that can change our lives is a decision. Once you have made the decision to lead a cruelty-free, environment-friendly and humane diet, the key is not to change in one day and not to shoot for perfection. It's easy to fall in the all-or-nothing psychological ploy – since I cannot be perfect, so let me be completely imperfect. First you should cut out meat from the meal and then give your body some time to realize its not getting it anymore. Burn the bridge. Once the body has accepted this, it'll stop craving. Next, add one diary free day to your life per week. Understand that one mistake or occasional indulgences in diary does not do a diet ruin. Once you have 5 diary free days under your belt, then you will find it easy to make the complete transition. Veganism is not about perfection, it's about progress. Take your time and let the cravings die naturally. After you are vegan for 3 months, you will “forget” what meat and diary tastes like.[35] This is because taste has to be continually reinforced to be remembered. If you fail in your first attempt, do not feel guilty or defeated. After a week, try again. Try as many times as it takes to become a vegan. Take support from your local vegan chapter or from the internet. Also, experiment with new dishes at home. [30]
Of course, people who go vegan for Animals drop animal products in virtually one day.
How has being a vegan helped you and how has it changed your life?
Most people do not become vegan for selfish reasons. The do so because they do not want to support cruelty towards non-human animals. The health and environmental concerns are an aside. Studies show us that people who adopt a vegan diet for altruistic and compassionate reason have a brain map of an empathic person. [33] Such people are also more upbeat and energetic according to some other studies.[34]
Apart from an emotional and spiritual upliftment, its an enlightening experience to see religion, politics, economics and the world in general through the paradigm of veganism.
It can be strange to see how people profess their dedication to reverse climate change and yet continue to eat meat and consume diary. It can be very fascinating to see doctors recommending diary and meat to diabetic, cancer and heart patients. It can be surprising to see human rights activist eat meat and support human rights violation. It touches and changes each and every facet of your perception.
In the words of Dr. Richard Dawkins, "The feeling that members of one's own species deserve special moral consideration as compared with members of other species is old and deep. Killing people outside war is the most seriously-regarded crime ordinarily committed. The only thing more strongly forbidden by our culture is eating people (even if they are already dead). We enjoy eating members of other species, however. Many of us shrink from judicial execution of even the most horrible human criminals, while we cheerfully countenance the shooting without trial of fairly mild animal pests. Indeed we kill members of other harmless species as a means of recreation and amusement. A human foetus, with no more human feeling than an amoeba, enjoys a reverence and legal protection far in excess of those granted to an adult chimpanzee. Yet the chimp feels and thinks and, according to recent experimental evidence, may even be capable of learning a form of human language. The foetus belongs to our own species, and is instantly accorded special privileges and rights because of it. Whether the ethic of 'speciesism', can be put on a logical footing any more sound than that of 'racism', I do not know. What I do know is that it has no proper basis in evolutionary biology."
Sexism, racism, "speciesism"...are all prejudices in different cloaks. There is a sense of completion, satisfaction and achievement in living your values free of prejudices. Like they say, you don't know what feeling healthy truly means unless you are really healthy. The same holds true for veganism too. It's many things rolled into one. It can be a political statement, a lifestyle or a spiritual pursuit or maybe all of them. But most importantly, it's liberating. After all, might is right is a morally bankrupt idea.
Apart from an emotional and spiritual upliftment, its an enlightening experience to see religion, politics, economics and the world in general through the paradigm of veganism.
It can be strange to see how people profess their dedication to reverse climate change and yet continue to eat meat and consume diary. It can be very fascinating to see doctors recommending diary and meat to diabetic, cancer and heart patients. It can be surprising to see human rights activist eat meat and support human rights violation. It touches and changes each and every facet of your perception.
In the words of Dr. Richard Dawkins, "The feeling that members of one's own species deserve special moral consideration as compared with members of other species is old and deep. Killing people outside war is the most seriously-regarded crime ordinarily committed. The only thing more strongly forbidden by our culture is eating people (even if they are already dead). We enjoy eating members of other species, however. Many of us shrink from judicial execution of even the most horrible human criminals, while we cheerfully countenance the shooting without trial of fairly mild animal pests. Indeed we kill members of other harmless species as a means of recreation and amusement. A human foetus, with no more human feeling than an amoeba, enjoys a reverence and legal protection far in excess of those granted to an adult chimpanzee. Yet the chimp feels and thinks and, according to recent experimental evidence, may even be capable of learning a form of human language. The foetus belongs to our own species, and is instantly accorded special privileges and rights because of it. Whether the ethic of 'speciesism', can be put on a logical footing any more sound than that of 'racism', I do not know. What I do know is that it has no proper basis in evolutionary biology."
Sexism, racism, "speciesism"...are all prejudices in different cloaks. There is a sense of completion, satisfaction and achievement in living your values free of prejudices. Like they say, you don't know what feeling healthy truly means unless you are really healthy. The same holds true for veganism too. It's many things rolled into one. It can be a political statement, a lifestyle or a spiritual pursuit or maybe all of them. But most importantly, it's liberating. After all, might is right is a morally bankrupt idea.
A brief introduction of yourself. Full name and occupation.
My name is Manuj Chandra Sharma. I am an Animal Rights Activist and the co-founder of an organization called Kranti (www.kranti.org) .
REFERENCES
[1] http://www.kranti.org/knowledge-base/media/lectures-and-presentations/item/267-flu-factories-tracing-the-origins-of-the-swine-flu-epidemic.html
[2] http://www.kranti.org/knowledge-base/library/fact-files/environmentalism/73-livestock-and-climate-change-world-watch.html
[3] http://www.kranti.org/knowledge-base/articles/research-papers/item/275-meat-contributes-to-ozone-production.html
[4] http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/freshwater/embedded-water/
[5] http://www.kranti.org/knowledge-base/media/documentaries/item/245-diet-for-a-new-america.html
[6] http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/multimedia/videos/Genetic-engineering-The-worlds-greatest-scam/
[7] http://www.kranti.org/damage/environment.html
[8] http://www.amazon.com/Food-Revolution-Your-Diet-World/dp/1573247022/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1277177039&sr=8-2
[9] http://www.worldwatch.org/node/791
[10] http://endoftheline.com
[11] http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/11/061102-seafood-threat.html
[12] http://www.kranti.org/knowledge-base/media/lectures-and-presentations/item/268-pandemic-prevention-bird-flu-and-other-emerging-infectious-diseases.html
[13] http://www.kranti.org/knowledge-base/media/lectures-and-presentations/item/270-latest-in-clinical-nutrition-volume-1.html
[14] http://www.kranti.org/knowledge-base/media/lectures-and-presentations/item/271-latest-in-clinical-nutrition-volume-2.html
[15] http://www.kranti.org/knowledge-base/media/lectures-and-presentations/item/279-latest-in-clinical-nutrition-volume-3.html
[16] http://webarchive.human.cornell.edu/chinaproject/index.html?CFID=109192707&CFTOKEN=22455666&jsessionid=c430570497735e256119
[17] http://www.kranti.org/knowledge-base/articles/research-papers/item/142-advantages-of-a-vegetarian-diet.html
[18] http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=5041951&l=88ae3b3790&id=670975394
[19] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vegan_athletes#Athletes
[20] http://www.amazon.com/Turn-Off-Fat-Genes-Revolutionary/dp/0609809040/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1277177883&sr=8-1
[21] http://www.cancerproject.org/survival/cancer_facts/prostate_dairy.php
[22] http://www.pcrm.org/health/clinres/diabetes.html
[23] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8869369
[24] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1312295/
[25] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2220599
[26] http://www.amazon.com/China-Study-Comprehensive-Nutrition-Implications/dp/1932100660/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1277178391&sr=8-1
[27] http://www.journeytoforever.org/farm_library/price/price5.html
[28] http://www.kranti.org/knowledge-base/articles/research-papers/item/151-60-of-adults-can%5C%27t-digest-milk.html
[29] http://www.kranti.org/knowledge-base/library/fact-files/brochures/88-official-kranti-brochure.html
[30] http://www.kranti.org/knowledge-base/library/books/vegetarianism/78-vegetarian-starter-kit.html
[31] http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article7052580.ece
[32] http://edition.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/03/28/fatty.foods.brain/
[33] http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0010847
[34] http://www.kranti.org/knowledge-base/articles/health-and-nutrition/item/293-vegetarians-are-more-upbeat-study.html
[35] http://www.kranti.org/knowledge-base/articles/research-papers/item/153-meat-eaters-live-a-lie.html
[36] http://www.kranti.org/knowledge-base/library/fact-files/vegetarianism/52-health-concerns-about-dairy-products.html
Published in
Blog
Monday, 14 June 2010 13:34
Growing Up in the Universe
This video is provided free online by The Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science.
Oxford professor Richard Dawkins presents a series of lectures on life, the universe, and our place in it. With brilliance and clarity, Dawkins unravels an educational gem that will mesmerize young and old alike. Illuminating demonstrations, wildlife, virtual reality, and special guests (including Douglas Adams) all combine to make this collection a timeless classic.
The Royal Institution Christmas Lectures for Children were founded by Michael Faraday in 1825, with himself as the inaugural lecturer. The 1991 lecturer was Richard Dawkins whose five one-hour lectures, originally televised by the BBC, are now available for the first, courtesy of RDF.
Oxford professor Richard Dawkins presents a series of lectures on life, the universe, and our place in it. With brilliance and clarity, Dawkins unravels an educational gem that will mesmerize young and old alike. Illuminating demonstrations, wildlife, virtual reality, and special guests (including Douglas Adams) all combine to make this collection a timeless classic.
The Royal Institution Christmas Lectures for Children were founded by Michael Faraday in 1825, with himself as the inaugural lecturer. The 1991 lecturer was Richard Dawkins whose five one-hour lectures, originally televised by the BBC, are now available for the first, courtesy of RDF.
Part 1 Waking Up in the Universe
Click "Read More" to watch remaining four parts
Published in
Animal Talks
Sunday, 13 June 2010 17:34
Are Cell Phones Killing The Bees?
Scientists claim radiation from handsets are to blame for mysterious 'colony collapse' of bees.
Published in
News
Thursday, 15 April 2010 09:53
Vandana Shiva in Totnes: GM, Climate Change and Transition
Part 1
Part 2
Published in
Environment Talks
Sunday, 11 April 2010 14:29
Why Compassion Should Be Taught In Schools
The multitude of books is making us ignorant. - Voltaire
The task of the modern educator is not to cut down jungles, but to irrigate deserts. - C.S. Lewis
Today we live in a highly competitive environment. Adjectives such as "cut-throat" and "professionalism" are used to describe this artificially created phenomenon that mankind has never witnessed before at this magnitude or scale. This begs the question as to what are we trying to achieve with our lives and what are we essentially competing for? What is it that requires us to be competitive to the level that we have to metamorphically slit the throats of our own peers and colleagues as professionals?
"Our" earth produces food for 8.5 billion people yet hundreds die of hunger and chronic malnutrition every day. There is enough food to feed our current population of 6.5 billion people and then some. Where is all our food and water going? What are we competing for and why? What is our true motive and purpose?
Thankfully science and spirituality sheds some light on these questions. As humans, we all want to be happy. No one can deny this stark fact. We want to be happy. We get up in the morning and pray to our God or wish that today and the remaining days of our lives be full of happiness and satisfaction. No one desires to meet an accident or an incurable chronic illness. When people fail to become happy and there is no hope for happiness in the near future, they often resort to suicide.
There are many roads to Rome. We are all trying to pursue happiness in variegated manners - and we should. This is the fundamental motive of all beings and all other purposes stem from it. We want to be happy, satisfied and contended. Its an undeniable fact of human existence.
Our craving for happiness is so strong that some try to seek it for eternity. The reason why people want to get rich or seek an eternal afterlife is because we believe this will buy us security and in return, life-long or eternal happiness. Our pursuit of social recognition, wealth, fame or name are just disguises for our congenital evolutionary instinct of a better life and for some - afterlife.
When it is our fundamental instinct to be happy, why are we so adamant in denying this basic fact pertaining to our fabric of existence? Why are anti-depressant sales skyrocketing and why are our youths more unhappy and depressed than any other time in recorded history? Why is it that we all want to be happy but we're not? And why is it than in order to solve our problem of unhappiness we are in-turn creating more dangerous problems?
Today we are facing real and grave issues threatening our very existence. Man-made climate change, food, water and land shortages, rise of new and old illnesses and an epidemic of lifestyle diseases such as cancer, obesity, heart diseases and diabetes are not something you can attribute to a rational being like humans. These man made shortages will also fule wars and famine.
If we are indeed rational creatures - beings created in the image of God himself then we alone have the power and know-how to avert the catastrophe of our own creation and all other species we have destroyed in the pursuit of our psudo-motives. Will Durant once said, "Education is a progressive discovery of our own ignorance." And in the words of G. K. Chesterton, "It is not bigotry to be certain we are right; but it is bigotry to be unable to imagine how we might possibly have gone wrong." Where have we lapsed?
As young, we all went through some system of education. This education system was designed by supposedly wise men and women to equip our future generations with skills and tools that should allow them to pursue what matters to us most - happiness. But today we stand on the threshold of catastrophic man-made unnatural disasters. Where has our education failed us?
If one contemplates astutely, there are some very basic human needs that all must meet irrespective of gender, creed, race, religion or origin. Hypothetically, its possible to live without a house, clothes, sex, religion etc, but no one can live without food, water and air. It doesn't matter what your belief systems are, where you come from or where you are going, you cannot live without healthy food, clean water and pure air. Yet mankind has suffered a debacle in the preservation of our basic survival needs, a folly so fundamental that all other stems from it.
We have been taught and equipped with skills to read and write, but not what to read and write. We have been taught to accumulate wealth, which may be important, but not how to accumulate positive experiences that will really make us happy. C.S. Lewis once observed that education without values, as useful as it is, seems rather to make man a more clever devil.
Today, people employ sophisticated calculations in choosing which car or camera to buy, which house to live in and which mutual fund to invest into, but most people don't even know where the stomach or prostrate is in the human body and never think twice about the repercussions of their food choices. Most people don't know that papaya is a richer source of vitamin C as compared to lemons and whether humans are herbivores or omnivores. Alfred E. Newman very rightfully observed when he said that, "We are living in a world today where lemonade is made from artificial flavors and furniture polish is made from real lemons." This half baked knowledge about our environment, our nature and ourselves is the source of our illusion of education and knowledge. In the words of Daniel J. Boorstin, "The greatest obstacle to knowledge is not ignorance - it is the illusion of knowledge." We don't know what to put in our mouths, we don't know how to breathe and exercise and we don't know how to protect our harvestable water bodies and other perishable natural resources. Studies have shown that our children know more about imaginary video-game characters like Pokemon but cannot even identify five species of plants. We live in a society exquisitely dependent on plants and animals, in which hardly anyone knows anything about plants and animals. We have our priorities reversed.
Our forefathers, who laid the foundation of our country made it our business to ensure that Armageddon wouldn't materialize into reality. Chapter IV-A. Article 51A(g) of The Constitution of India stated that, "it shall be the fundamental duty of every citizen of India to protect and improve the Natural Environment including forests, lakes, rivers and wildlife, and to have compassion for all living creatures." We have failed our God, we have failed our country, we have failed the creatures who so humbly came to us for sanctuary and most importantly we have failed ourselves. We as a species have failed the test of natural selection. We are failures.
Hope springs eternal. Its never too late to change. And the solution lies within us. Humans are a predominantly moral animals. We use this skill in one capacity or another to sustain the human society. We erect laws to force compliance. We have house of laws to enforce that we don't astray from our natural instincts. Some may find this hard to believe and thats natural because our current education system has done little to develop this area of our brain called the right temporo-parietal junction (RTPJ) which deals with moral judgment. Like any other part of the brain it needs support to be nourished and developed. This can be confirmed by a thought experiment.
Suppose our mother dies. The "dead" body is lying on the floor. The reason why its called a "dead" body is because its incapable of any physical or emotional sensations whatsoever. Its more non-responsive than a plant. Its a collection of minerals, metals, cells and atoms. Yet we treat this dead piece of blob with much more reverence and respect as if it were alive. Most will find it absolutely abhorrent to disrespect this dead piece of meat in any fashion, be it consumption, spitting or indulgence in a sexual activity with this piece of protein. This shows that humans by their very nature are ethical, compassionate and moral creatures.
Yet, because of our underdeveloped moral judgment thanks to the failure of our education system we have turned into something we are not. We treat members of other species like hen and pigs as if they are worse than our dead. Lack of complete education leads to ignorance and ignorance leads to what psychologists refer to as "arguments by ignorance". In the name of "profit" and "less-awareness", we confine and mutilate them in horrific and unimaginable fashion. We show no respect towards our perishable natural resources just to pursue a motive that will lead us to a few moments of temporary satisfaction - the shadow of happiness. This disease is called "superiority complex".
Although it may sound harsh, but its time to face ourselves in the mirror. Its time to get a reality check as to why we have become a race of apathetic, sick and cruel hypocrites? Why for a few moments of temporary gratification we are condemning other earthlings to hell? Why for a few moments of joy we are living a non-sustainable and cruel lifestyle?
Its time for a change. One simple philosophy and one simple practice can solve all our problems. Its compassion. Like any other skill taught in schools and colleges like mathematics and language, we need to learn and develop compassion. And there is no better way to apply compassion in our day-to-day lives than by living a cruelty-free life and letting children learn by imitation. By teaching our minds to be more diligent and compassionate we can make a significant impact to our consciousness and the planet and all its earthlings who are here with us in this democracy of life. There is still time to do justice to our innate natural motives, to our country, to our life and afterlife, to our God, to the planet and all its co-inhabitants and last but not the least - to the human race.
One must not forget that whatever motives we may pursue, we need our health and the planet for it to materialize. If we will not choose now, the decision will be made for us. Say yes to a whole food plant based diet. Say no to animal products, edible or otherwise. This will solve half the problems mankind faces today. If this is accepted and acted upon motivated by universal compassion and a reverence for all plants, animals and the planet - that will solve the other half.
And that is the purpose of life - a life of purpose.
Published in
Blog
Saturday, 30 January 2010 16:48
The Cove
Using state-of-the-art equipment, a group of activists, led by renown dolphin trainer Ric O’Barry, infiltrate a cove near Taijii, Japan to expose both a shocking instance of animal abuse and a serious threat to human health.
Published in
Animal Rights
Sunday, 10 January 2010 07:19
Clear Danger To Life On Earth
Rapid climate changes are set to redistribute the already shrinking ozone layer, exposing earth's southern parts up to 20 percent more ultraviolet radiation, warns a Canadian study.
Published in
News
Tuesday, 29 December 2009 12:10
Islands Disappear In India
Rising seas, caused by global warming, have for the first time washed an inhabited island off the face of the Earth. The obliteration of Lohachara island, in India's part of the Sundarbans where the Ganges and the Brahmaputra rivers empty into the Bay of Bengal, marks the moment when one of the most apocalyptic predictions of environmentalists and climate scientists has started coming true.
Published in
News
