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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You can read more Rants & Raves at the VeganForLife website
http://www.veganforlife.org