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Friday, March 23, 2012

I believe....

I ran across this statement (credo) attributed to a fellow named John Aspinall recently and found it to be... well...thought provoking. I'm reproducing it here:
I believe a wildlifer must not expect to be rewarded with recognition or wordly approval. His work will be his recompense. Only in his own peace of mind and self-esteem will he find solace.
 I believe in Jus animalium, The Rights of Beasts, and Jus herbarum, The Rights of Plants. The right to exist as they have always existed, to live and let live. I believe in the Buddhist concept of Ahimsa -- justice for all animate things. I believe in the greatest happiness for the greatest number of species of fauna and flora that the Earth can sustain without resultant deterioration of habitat and depletion of natural resources.
 I believe in the sanctity of the life systems, not in the sanctity of human life alone. The concept of sanctity of human life is the most damaging sophism that philosophy has ever propagated -- it has rooted well. Its corollary -- a belief in the insanctity of species other than man -- is the cause of that damage. The destruction of this idea is a prerequisite for survival.
 I believe that wilderness is Earth's greatest treasure. Wilderness is the bank on which all cheques are drawn. I believe our debt to nature is total, our willingness to pay anything back on account barely discernible. I believe that unless we recognise this debt and renegotiate it we write our own epitaph.
 I believe that there is an outside chance to save the Earth and most of its tenants. This outside chance must be grasped with gambler's hands.
-- John Aspinall
Reading about this person on Wikipedia  and other sources suggests that he was a rather unusual individual. Regardless of anything else he did or said, the above statement is intriguing.

No intrigue is involved in living thoughtfully and kindly, such simply requires following the path of ethical veganism.

3 comments:

Have Gone Vegan said...

Intriguing individual indeed. That first paragraph should be taken to heart by every vegan eh?

I believe a wildlifer [vegan] must not expect to be rewarded with recognition or wordly approval. His work will be his recompense. Only in his own peace of mind and self-esteem will he find solace.

veganelder said...

Thank you for commenting HGV. I was thinking today while helping out at the rabbit rescue that the work there to be done is because of the failings of other humans...things they did or neglected to do. The work is, in essence, cleaning up the mess others have made. The reward is in, by some small measure, reducing the suffering extant in the world because of our own species. Moving the amount of suffering toward less instead of more is a pretty good payoff all by itself. :-)

Bea Elliott said...

Certainly a colorful character! And though I can't say his life choices all merit praise - Surely what he has eloquently voiced about caring for Earth's "greatest treasure" does.

Beautifully phrased - Very thoughtful piece. Thanks for posting it.