dan’s blog

the lives of plants and animals

October 13, 2006 on 11:04 pm | In Uncategorized |

i’ve weighed in on the infamouse “LED Rat Throwie” - coolest thing ever? morally bankrupt product of the antichrist?

ok it was hard to find my post in the sea of comments there so here it is:

“any first-world dweller has seen vast amounts of animal-based clothing purchased purely because it is “fashionable”, not because it is in any way needed. similarly, gluttonous consumption of meat, and common factory-farming practices, and wasteful practices such as killing sharks just for their fins - also trivialize the life of the animal. animals should be treated with respect, and this includes their frivolous use for designer clothings and foods. why are “fur” coats banned while leather ones are not? because the animals in question are “cuter”? ugly animals deserve just as much respect as the cute ones - is it any different than racism to only protect cute animals (or “charismatic megafauna”, as biologists call them)? instilling a respect for animals increases badly-needed respect for the environment which is crucial for planetary survival. humans have evolved past the point where competing for food and resources with other animals and people in a “survival of the fittest” way makes any sense at all. we are now in a position where our only option is to become the beneficial stewards of the planet, allowing the rest of nature to live unhampered as much as possible. the alternative - continued domination and subjugation of all in our path - will lead to a humans-only planet with no nature left, only human constructed cities separated by food-production zones and wasteland.”