Rants and Raves 54 - Power and responsibility

[Guest guest]

POWER AND RESPONSIBILITY

 

I'm one of those weird people who believes humans are animals. We

might be a bit smarter than most of them, and we're certainly more

destructive and violent, but in the end we're just animals. If there

is such a thing as a soul, then I believe animals have it too - from

the greatest whale to the smallest bug that crawls across the ground.

 

But although we are animals, we are also something quite different. We

have the ability to think and reason, and plan our actions, and we

have the ability to understand the consequences of those actions.

Although many of the more intelligent species on this planet can push

a button to receive a serve of food, we're the only species with the

ability to build the button and the machine that does the serving.

 

In other words, although we are animals, we are something unique and

special as well. Our combination of brain, language and dexterity

gives us control over our surroundings in a way that no other animal

can match.

 

There's this great line in one of my favourite movies, SpiderMan.

Uncle Ben is talking to Peter Parker (a.k.a. SpiderMan) and he says:

" With great power there comes great responsibility. "

 

I believe that we, as the dominant species on the planet, should live

by these words. We should - we must - take these words into our hearts

and minds, and live them daily in every way possible.

 

Unfortunately, when it comes to responsibility, humanity isn't doing

too well.

 

I could go into reams of statistics about the environment - about land

degradation, about our ancient rainforests disappearing, about our

oceans being overfished, about the Barrier Reef dying. I could talk

about the Ozone layer, or the millions of plastic bags we use and

throw away each year.

 

I could talk about these things, but I won't. You already know the

details, unless you've been living under a rock these last few years

with our old mate George Dubya Bush. There's no point in restating the

obvious.

 

I also don't want to come across as all preachy. Vegans are good at

doing that - I'm one of the best preachers in the trade (or worst,

depending on your point of view), so I should know!

 

What I will say is that, in order for us to advance as a species and

as a civilization, we need to learn to be responsible. We need to open

our eyes and look about, and see what we can do to change the world.

 

Some people say that there's not a lot one person can do. I reckon

that's rubbish. Saying there's nothing one person can do then

proceeding to do nothing is giving away both our power and our

responsibility. It's throwing this beautiful, fragile, glorious planet

into the too-hard basket. It's giving in; it's saying that being a

loser is acceptable.

 

I'm sick of losers. They're a pitiful, sniffling bunch. I can almost

hear them whinging from here: " But I don't want to give up meat! I

don't want to stop smoking! I don't want to be bothered with

recycling, or re-using, or with ethical shopping, or with living

within my means. "

 

" After all, " they say. " Life is short. "

 

Well, I believe life is too short for whinging, for making excuses,

for copping out, for refusing to take responsibility for our actions.

If life is short, and this is all there is to it, and there is no

heaven or afterlife, then that makes this life, this world, even more

precious. And if there is a Goddess or God up there, or down here, or

in some parallel Universe, do you really think She/He would want to

waste Her/His time on a pack of whingers who couldn't be bothered to

take care of this planet, the most precious gift of all?

 

Just imagine - for a moment - that the Rapture isn't going to happen

any time soon. That there is no afterlife or reincarnation. That this

short, wonderful life is it. Then consider all those items you

purchased bulk-discount. All those steaks you have eaten. All those

gallons of fatty milk you have drunk. Have they made you a happier,

more complete person? If your honest answer is yes then go on doing

what you're doing, and stop reading this rant now because I probably

don't have anything more that you would want to hear.

 

But if you, like me, know that true happiness comes from loving

others, taking care of our families and friends, being kind to

non-human animals, and preserving our ancient wildernesses - if you

know that happiness can't be bought or sold in a box, no matter how

well that box is presented or which deluxe store it came from - then

we might have something in common. And there are millions of people

out there, just like us, who have this in common with us too.

 

I'm asking you to stand up and be counted. Make a vow to yourself, or

to God, or to your family, or to whatever or whomever you hold dear,

that you will seek to fight the good fight. Stand on the side of the

earth, and the animals, and the generations to come. They all depend

on you to do so.

 

With great power comes great responsibility. But responsibility can

also be a gift. We are Caretakers of this planet, Guardians of its

flora and fauna. We are Stewards of its high mountains and scorched

silent deserts and blossoming valleys and quiet creeks and deep blue

oceans.

 

Open yours eyes. Look around. And be proud to take responsibility for

this shining planet Earth.

 

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