The Ethics of Veganism

High on Peanut Butter

The Ethics of Veganism

The use of animals in our society is so prevalent that my choice to be vegan is often questioned and misunderstood. The idea of being vegan is just too radical for some. Their reactions are not exactly unfounded. Animal use is everywhere- the cow’s milk in your coffee, the pet hamster on the TV show you just watched, the leather in your shoes, the gelatin in your halo-halo. So why be vegan? I throw the question back at you. Why not? Veganism is not just a diet, although going vegan can do wonders for your health. Veganism is not necessarily a religion-based code of ethics, although the ancient religion Jainism does prescribe Ahimsa or the path of non-violence towards all living beings. Even among vegans, we disagree about what the term vegan must mean, and we each project our own ideals onto the label. Must it be limited to the ethical motivation to be compassionate? Must it be inclusive of respect to your own health? What is not up to debate is that vegans abstain from any use of animals, animal products, animal byproducts, and animal excrements for food, clothing, medical research, entertainment etc in as much as it is practical and avoidable. The underlying principle is that we oppose murder and rape and other forms of violence and we see our use and abuse of non-human animals as just that. These pre-meditated crimes are not acceptable just because they are committed against beings other than humans. Violence is violence. Rape is rape. Murder is murder. Suffering is suffering. Veganism is a way of life that acknowledges that version of our reality.

The core of veganism is the reduction of suffering and violence. It is crucial to emphasize that the violence against animals is not limited to the obvious aspect of slaughter. It also includes the way in which they have been born and raised- or to be more accurate, the way in which they have been manufactured and stored. Standard practices in the industry include cutting off the beaks of chicks without anesthesia, castration without anesthesia, branding cattle with hot iron without anesthesia, slamming down baby piglets who do not meet weight requirements on the floor, killing and skinning animals when they are still conscious, to name a few. Alive, the atrocities of the animals’ living conditions include confinement to a single area equal to their body size for all their short miserable lives, deprivation of medical attention, and induced overfeeding or starvation depending on consumer taste. Through our use and confinement of them, animals have become artificially disabled. They cannot flap their wings, milk their young, or run freely as they would in their natural environments. Even their physiological form has been genetically manipulated so consumers can have more meat and become more obese and business owners can have more cash in the bank. Animals are forced to be cannibals as the industry commonly feeds cows other cows, pigs other pigs, and chickens other chickens. Whatever the animal industry and whatever their use, the bottomline is the same. They suffer needlessly.

Factory farming aside, what is so wrong with eating animals or wearing a leather jacket or going to a zoo or dissecting frogs in Biology class? Doing any of those things presupposes that human beings own animals, that we can do with them as we please, regardless of their sentience or capacity to feel pain. The common argument I hear is that we are the more intelligent species. I find this illogical for a number of reasons. Why should intelligence be an excuse for abuse and savagery? If we were to accept that the more intelligent can do whatever they want with the less intelligent, does it mean we can kill infants with mental disabilities and make sausages out of them? And supposing that another species would emerge that appears to be more intelligent than us, are we ready and willing to be skinned alive to serve as materials for someone else’s jacket? Another similar argument for animal use is that humans are on top of the food chain. The food chain again presupposes that there is an order in nature, but there is nothing natural about the way food is produced and transported and consumed today. Other animals do not factory-farm other animals. It is only us humans who do.

An ethical aspect that people often overlook is human welfare. We are creating jobs that force people to kill, where desensitization is a near certainty and injuries are habitual. In slaughterhouses, many workers urinate and defecate in the assembly lines in order to keep up with the production speed requirements. They are also injured by the struggling half-alive half-dead animals who either still summon up enough will to fight back or are so delirious with pain they can only react in violent convulsions. In leather factories, workers are immersed knee-deep in toxic dye substances. In zoos, trainers are given commands to treat non-human animals like things, to use electrocution freely, to stop themselves from making any emotional or empathic connection with non-human animals. We are building a world where the demand for assassins is growing, where we hire them to do our dirty work while we put up walls of denial so we can absolve our own accountability. For what good reason do we do this? Because they taste good to our chemically-drowned palates or because we need a new product to condition our bug-color-treated hair? The world we inherited has brainwashed us into thinking this is the way the world works –that this is who we are.

Veganism is about awakening our senses, learning the truth, sometimes having to dig through it, and ultimately facing it. It is connecting the dots. It is knowing that if I eat animals, I am directly responsible for both the screams and screeches of the animal and the unabashed violence of the slaughterhouse worker in and outside his workplace. Veganism is about examining my values, weighing the importance of my personal trivial interest of swimming with the dolphins in an aquarium against the importance of letting the dolphins live their natural lives in a vast ocean. Veganism is listening to my true nature as a human being, such that even if I did not have the literacy to express what is wrong with killing, I would already know it instinctively. Veganism is looking at cruelty, seeing it for what it is, and refusing to be part of it. Veganism is letting go of the denial and the excuses and embracing the power of my daily choices.

So far..

Crash Pad

So far..

One punk rocker says that for a song to be considered punk, it has to have a non conformist flavor in it. Just like hip-hop having created by the black community in the US; pop songs being known to derive the pop from something genuine, Punk music has its own identity, or history. Punk music is way beyond mohawks and tight jeans. Its the outrage– the radical, progressive thinking.

Which brought me into thinking, what part of me is punk? Should I consider myself punk? Can I be considered punk? Sometimes, I believe I tend to be radical, to not go with the flow. But How punk am I? Am i really progressive? How punk am I?

I was friends with a lot of kids during the grade school. From girls with clean uniforms, with water jugs and automatic pencil cases, -to girls with a half-white-half-brown socks and unclean school bags. It didnt matter- what matters is that we are all friends.

Maybe I was being bullied by other kids, I really dont know. I am not sure if the reason why I am not really up for the fight is that I may be coward in nature (or peaceful) or that if I realized that the kid is the son of my English teacher or the daughter of that kind lady who provides our monthly supply of coconut husks.

I remember vividly in high school, with the mighty will to get a share of my good time, I had to ask a companion if she has extra money to lend to be able to buy my snack for me to eat in the moviehouse we’re getting in. She said no. Lessons learned: 1) not all have money for others, the self is much too expensive 2) that thinking before doing is helpful 3) not all friends are willing to share.

Growing up, I have no ample access to my own time and money had to be spent wisely- that means to spend it only on my transportation fare (sta.mesa to anonas, qc). College was a continuation of the struggle to having my own share of pleasure. At the time, things were not yet clear to me (or so I thought it is clear today). I was a victim of the exaggerated media. Took up the wrong course, managed to stay asleep for four years and graduated, of course without flying colors.

Now, I work in the country’s largest business city – in a private, multinational company. I earn income and pay taxes. I spend money on commercial conveniences. I can be considered worth a citizen.

But I am no punk. Hardly progressive. In my heart, I sense something (everything) is wrong in this mainstream.. I believe things have to change. And that being a citizen doesn’t end on paying taxes.
I remember nights years ago, when I think of things that I will do. Things I can do at the best of my grasp- my maximum capability. But circumstances, backed up by the irreversible, much important social status– I came to be what I am now.

And of course -Time.

If You Fail, You Learn

Conundrums

If you fail, you learn

A friend once told me:

“Not everything that you wanted & worked hard for is always meant to be yours… somehow you lose. But when you lose, there will come a better one that you surely deserve more than anything”

This for me is a truly inspiring quote. The problem is: you’ll never know what is really meant to be yours. You work hard at everything only to fall into the bitter end. Let’s face it; life doesn’t always take us to a happy ending. Oftentimes, fate gives a mischievous move. Ironically, these instances make our lives worth living. These instances are the things that make us stronger and wiser. We all get our own dose of failures may it be in love, work, life and relationships.  And I can only but marvel of how man can handle such problems with ease and move on to face another day.

What is my take on this matter?

Our life is a mish mash of different misfortunes tangled together sprinkled with a bunch of freaks and inconsiderate people. It may be a bummer 99% of the time but that doesn’t mean we have to stop living. It only proves to say that we have to work even harder to make the best of every second of it and if that means taking risks, then so be it. If you fail it’s not the end of everything, in fact for every risk that you take there’s a 90% chance that you would fail (“suntok sa buwan” as we Filipinos call it). But what the heck, it is better to have tried than to sit and do nothing.

If you see yourself as a failure, if you think you’re not worth it, if your heart was broken into pieces by a good-for-nothing jerk, if you feel like no one appreciates you and you have come to the point where you’ve considered taking away your own life, don’t expect me to stop you. Just keep in mind that when you die, the world will not stop to mourn. Life itself would not yield just because you chose to end yours. You will never witness how Karma gets back on those who hurt you; you will never get to appreciate the marvelous twists and turns waiting for you for tomorrow.

A man once killed himself because he is depressed that he’s out of money. Found in his pocket were a candy wrapper, a pen, and winning lottery ticket for that night’s draw. Had he been strong enough to hold on just for another day, he would have found the solution to his problems.

As I’ve said before, our life is a mish mash of different misfortunes. Everyone fails at something. You just have to deal with it, take life one day at a time and remember that: If you fail, you learn.

Smile, live, and be happy.

Untitled

Life’s Misadventures

Untitled

“Everyday there’s a new challenge, a chance to be better and go for your dreams.”

First thing I hear this morning. This brought back a lot of memories.

Yeah, it’s the first few lines of a song that the locals know as a commercial jingle, something Marketing comes up with so that it stick into your brain like a magnet to metal. It’s a rare event when a commercial jingle actually makes sense and this is one of them.

From the Optimist’s viewpoint, it means “everyday I’m getting closer to my goal/dreams”. For the Pessimist it means “another day, another headache”.

But what about from a Optimistic Pessimist’s point of view? Or better yet, the view of a Pessimistic Optimist?

Makes you wanna cry out “But those things don’t exist!” doesn’t it? But in reality and in our present time, they do.

The Optimistic Pessimist lives with the credo “Hope for the best, prepare for the worst”. Seeing life a shade darker than everyone else but always hoping things don’t come out the way they planned (which is negatively).

So what’s a Pessimistic Optimist?

This kind of person thinks things through in an obscure way. Every little detail is scrutinized until the best possible solution presents itself. Unfortunately, that “best” solution inevitably winds up being the worst.

So what’s this got to do with life and its adventures?

That’s sort of the point. Not every adventure leads you to an end. Sometimes it just loops around and around until nothing makes sense.

Sort of like what I’m talking about today.

Getting to work every day is honestly a pain. The commute on the Rail Transit System that makes the claim of “a safe and fast ride” which is anything but fast and with the number of people there, getting stampeded is no illusion. When you do finally get to ride, it’s packed tighter than sardines in a can.

Long lines at the exit turnstiles add to your dismay, especially when out of 6 or 7 turnstiles, only 3 actually work.

You could delusion yourself into thinking that that’s the worst part of the day. Unfortunately, you realize that you left your wallet and lunch at home because you were in a rush to leave because you overslept since you spent all night watching GLEE on TV.

Sure you enjoyed watching GLEE and getting those few extra minutes of sleep, but is that the best solution? Probably not but you certainly had your fun.

Life’s a misadventure. Everything else is piracy.

Checkmate

Fresh from the Scene

Checkmate

A few days ago I was with a couple of friends talking about life in general. I was struck by the way one of my friends looked at it. I didn’t quite expect such insight coming from his usually happy-go-lucky self. He saw life as one big chess set where everyone has a role, and that there is a safe zone and a danger zone. I was never good at playing chess, but I learned a few life lessons from from his perspective.

The Objective. Life has the same objective as chess. You need to fulfill your role in order for you to realize your full potential. Once you fulfill your role, you can go ahead and take on another role. When you take on a bigger role, you can maximize your potential even further.

The Correlation. Like chess, life is not meant to be lived for one’s self. Every action and decision that you make affects everyone around you. It’s a symbiotic relationship where you have to put your interests aside and prioritize the welfare of everyone else. You need to help each other in order for all of you to win the game of life.

The Risks. As my friend told me, the are two areas in a chess board – the safe zone and the danger zone. In order for a chess piece to fulfill their role to become a better chess piece, it should move away from the safe zone and venture out into the game. It’s the same with life. In order for you to become a better person, you have to get out of your comfort zone and take risks.

The Focus. Every chess game has a king on each side. It’s the chess piece that all other chess pieces value the most. In life, it’s essential that you recognize who or what is your king. Your king guides you in everything that you do, as well as everyone else in this life. Some people die without even realizing the value of finding the most important thing or being in their lives. I met my King during one of the darkest days of my life, and I am thankful that I met Him before it’s too late. You may have a different King in your life, but it’s important for you to know him/her/it.

It’s amazing what are the stuff that you can pick up in just a simple conversation.

More Than Just Reading Greek

Beneath Habits and Memories

More Than Just Reading Greek

It started out funny; hilarious even. Until it spread out like wildfire and caught everyone’s interest. Now people started jumping on the bandwagon, mostly the nescient public, turning the so-called Jejemon Phenomenon into another case of “Classism,” if we may call it that. It was supposed to be for sheer fun, but apparently some had way too much fun.

The Jejemon craze began as a mere issue of bad taste for some. Basically because it is violating the nature of texting/typing and using the alphabet (numerals and exclamation points included) altogether. However some may deny it, it was irritatingly funny and that some even attempted to imitate this form of writing and even read it. And somebody must give the Jejemons props for the activity required mad skill and a lot of character.

And then the tough crowd came in the picture. Who can blame them? This is a free country and everyone is entitled to their opinion. Due to public interest, random and probably unheard-of character experts started dissecting the specimen that is Jejemon – from classifying their fashion, choice of words, color of skin, face contours, and state of life. It appeared that the phenomenon is actually beyond just the incomprehensible style of writing, but in fact the being as a whole. Fan pages against Jejemons were put up wherein thousands joined and bashed to their heart’s content – to the extent of a request for genocide.

It is actually not surprising as a similar, though not as extreme, event has occurred in the country before. Does the term Jologs ring a bell? What the two terms have in common is that they both start with the letter J. interesting right? But more interesting than that, is that they both refer to a type of individual coming from the lower part of the social triangle.

True that racism is a rare case in the country, but “classism ” is as prevalent as the pollution in the air that we breathe. French sociologist Emile Durkheim argued that discrimination is the result of the society’s need to sort people into types. He wrote in his book titled “Montesquieu’s Contribution to the Rise of Social Science” that the only way to describe individuals is through types thus the inevitable need of classification. Sadly, the only classification that seems to exist in this country is accorded to social hierarchy.

A globally accepted form of language that boomed not too long ago, Leet, also known as geek language, used throughout the cyberworld, mostly online gamers, is like the forefather of the now called jejetyping. As mentioned, they both substitute roman letters with like symbols or numbers and they add suffixes to nouns like pwnage; and pwned is not even a legit noun. However, this does not gather as much controversy as jejetyping, which happens to do the same, only longer. Take for example saying Kkp0whZz instead of a simple Ok.

The reason behind this is that leet language was perceived as the “greek language” of the literate. And now that those from lower class, having the same access as much as everyone from any other social class, are able to get creative with technology, the upper class started this propaganda to keep them where they are.

It is hypocrisy to lamely justify this abhorrence of the existence of Jejemons by saying that it is detrimental to the quality of education in the country. Really now? This is actually the implementation of social marginalization in a disguise that is not so discreet. More like an attempt to justify stereotyping.

Despite all the debates, yes, they do organize debates on this matter, Jejetyping is a trend like any other that will cease to exist in the years to come but the labeling appended on the said  Jejemons will forever remain. Unfortunately, this society is ill with the disease of prejudice and the cure still has a long way to go. That is if it’ll ever be cured.