| M.D. Holloway |
10-18-2010 09:17 AM |
Fear is rational or irrational - I claim ownership to neither. I have a healthy respect for all animals except apes and monkeys. A big cat, wolf, snake or bear can and has killed people - i fear them as well as respect them. Apes and monkeys - except for rare instances have they hurt people. I don't fear them, it goes deeper than that. I have never been injured by one nor ever had a bad experience so there is no history behind how I feel in terms of experience.
My feelings are more inferred upon an honest statement. Humans are animals. We are built to procreate and survive in as much comfort as possible. Eons ago there was much competition. Thats not the case anymore but base genetic code of behavior still exists. To deny that makes us less human than more. Embracing what and who we are is essential otherwise we become domesticated animals that have no idea why we have the notions and urges we do.
Those that hunt respect their kills. Those that fish are pure naturalists. Is there a reason that humans have to hunt and fish in a society that pretty much provides all the food you could ever eat? Is it rational? Logically it is not but then again the human condition and our genetic roots are not logical according to how we try to understand the world.
We think we are above all animals. We are sadly mistaken. We have fooled ourselves to think that we either have to care for them or should sympathize them. Integrity is easy on a full belly. Unless an animal is in danger or hungry normally they do not just kill for kill sake. Exceptions exist. Humans kill for food, sport (honing an age old skill of hunting), because they are threatened or out of a true dislike for a critter (fear or preservation induced). Sometimes they pull a Dahmer and kill to get off - again, an exception.
My disdain for simians is more than likely a preservation mechanism that dates back tens of thousands of years. I know why I kill spiders. I know why I would kill a venomous snake. Those things are much more apparent and dangerous than a simian - plus we are in closer proximity. That doesn't remove the internal threat.
I don't expect any minds to be changed. I offer this up as an attempt to explain why I feel the way I do. Does it make sense? Who knows and who cares. The chances of me actually harming a simian is pretty remote. I have no interest in going to any country where they run loose, I wouldn't kill a zoo creature and if it was someones pet I would show the mater respect.
And for what it is worth, I find female clowns really sexy!
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