What do you know, I've been set on rant mode, must be a leap year
I wouldn't say I like that story, I do find it incredibly depressing though, I guess thats something.
Its a little bit of insight into the psyche of a chimpanzee which is interesting, it shows what I have always suspected that knowledge is comfort and confusion magnifies suffering.
It makes me so mad when I see people "demanding justice" or "closure", as though it is their god given right to get such great gifts, having it be known that you are suffering is a greater gift than other animals could hope for and there is alot to be said for that gift, think of the chimps(and other animals for that matter) out there that have lost loved ones, they get the intensely shocking grief and confusion and none of the benefits that come with being human.
Elephants seem to understand death, but chimps do not, I have seen a young chimp find his dead mother on a river bank, poke it with a trembling hand, walk off shakily, climb a tree and stare off into his thoughts untill he died a week or so later in that exact spot, litterally of grief.
His face said it all, it was the recognisable primate face of "what the fuck?". I believe no human could possibly understand the suffering that chimp experienced. The list of benefits we have in times of suffering is too long to mention and even I, who spend much thought on such things, could not think of them all.
We take our knowledge and level of understanding for granted. No matter what we are faced with our understanding can comfort us. If I found my dead mother on a river bank I would be sad and my sufferring would be significant, but I would know that people die and this is not a bizarre occurence, the possibility was always there and I would understand that. Plus chances are I could let it be known that my mother died and I would be treated as such. I would be comforted profusely and the knowledge that people feel sorry for me would secretly be justification. No other animal gets all this.
I think this gives us as a species a certain punching bag quality. We can recieve sufferring far easier than other animals and this is why I find it hard to sympathise with humans.
The phrase "get over it pussy" comes to mind whenever I see people complaining over their rough deal. Something about us reminds me of that spoilt kid we've all seen with the alligator tears and the tiny cut on his finger. I know how "horrible" it is to be a human so I know they are whining about nothing. We are the big kids and our crying is starting to standout on the playground and make us look pathetic.
the question is not 'can they reason' or 'can they use abstract thought', but can they suffer?- some guy
Good point and the answer is yes, in fact they can suffer to a much more severe extent than we can, which to me automatically puts mistreating animals at the top of the list of most dispicable activities one could possibly partake in.
Off-topic, but its how the cookie crumbled.
Gendanken;
I heard that about elephants, quite disgusting considering those tusks evolved for a reason, now their lives must be hindered due to our greed. Not that this would justify it by any means any way but who NEEDS ivory? really
Also I have heard elephants are hiding the tusks of their deceased loved ones from poachers, this signifies something substantial. Now we know they are suffering in wondering what we want their tusks for, they know they are being raped and spat out by an unstoppable monster that is above any of their laws. We can't possibly relate to that. Jews in concentration camps can't possibly relate to that.
And yet the most a poacher would cop is a fine and *gasp* possibly jail time.... its a joke.
Its like if a group of boys brutally murdered a child and their only punishment was their parents telling them they "shouldn't have done that" while trying to hold back laughter over the boys' lovable antics. It ends with a tussle of the hair and a reassuring "now get of here ya rascal".
Commit the most dispicable crime known to earth and get a slap on the wrist with a padded glove. We suck.
I once said I am not ashamed or proud of our species because for either of those feelings there would need to be an outside party witnessing our high and low points.
I realise now that animals are noticing our actions, and loathing them.
So now I guess I can officially say that I am ashamed to be human.
Very ashamed.
There is no dignity to be had by any of us. This is why I can't wait to be eaten, it will be the pinnacle of my existence.