Occupy Humanity

Special Commentary by Sun,
Gentle World Co-Founder

In a rare interview just before his death, Aldous Huxley was asked what advice he would offer young people just starting out in life. He thought for a moment, smiled, and said that he was almost embarrassed to say it, but after a lifetime of searching; studying great art, reading all the classics, and penning many acclaimed books of his own, the most profound piece of advice he could think to offer was: “Try to be a little kinder.”

And yet, in light of the state of our sad, mad world, it seems that before we can even aspire to kindness, we must first turn our attention toward ending unkindness, as the abolition of cruelty is an essential step in our evolution from a fractured humanity to a united Humankind.

This is the essence of the message that is being sent to the powers that be, in what is perhaps the most widespread movement for justice in the history of the human race; that it is unkind, and therefore unjustifiable, for them to live in the illusion that their wants come before the needs of others.

As we, the people, occupy cities and institutions all over the world to protest injustice, it may be a good time to ask ourselves if we are in any way perpetrating the very injustices we are opposing.

We, the progressive thinkers, pride ourselves (and well we should) on our understanding that every human being – regardless of race, religion, nationality, age, gender, economic status or sexual orientation – has an inherent right to not be treated as an “other,” because it is obvious to us that beneath our individual differences, we are of like kind..

No one wants to be hungry or cold or terrified or lonely or deceived or oppressed. We all want to be healthy, happy, loved, appreciated, inspired and thrilled to be alive.

When it comes to feelings of pain and pleasure, all sentient beings are of like kind, which is why we – the believers in liberty and justice for all –are gathering, marching, writing and speaking up for the rights of all human beings, no matter the circumstances into which they happened to be born.

And yet, even many of the most progressive among us, seemingly without thought, continue to exclude certain sentient beings from the shelter of their compassion by accepting, condoning, supporting and even applauding the most unspeakable injustices perpetrated against those they see as “others,” because they happened to have been born other than human.

The overwhelmingly sad, yet unavoidable truth is that every non-vegan choice contributes in some way to the enslavement, torture and murder of billions upon billions of living, breathing, feeling, vulnerable, innocent fellow animals of all kinds… and this horrifying production is enacted upon the global stage, in one form or another, every moment of every hour of every day, in every nation on earth.

Curiously, people who are otherwise kind and just, who can so clearly see the injustices perpetrated by those who have power over them, remain blind in the face of all evidence to the unimaginable cruelty that humans inflict upon these helpless beings, who are totally at their mercy.

How much more convincing will be our message to the 1%, as we request that they forgo the pleasures, comforts and conveniences that require the oppression of those they see as “others,” when we are willing to do the same.
How much more sincere we will be when we shine the light of truth on all injustices, including our own.

And how much more empowered at this historic crossroads, when we stand together for liberty and justice, not just for some, but for all sentient beings, so that no one is made to suffer in any way, for anyone’s profit, anywhere on the face of this our earth, ever again.

Image: Stefan Cremers

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Kristina C.

11:32AM PST on Feb 3, 2012

A very valuable and true article - thank you so much for sharing it!

Please sign my petition: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/give-a-pitbull-a-chance/

February 3
send a green star

Past Member .

11:08AM PST on Nov 26, 2011

I love this article,
and Ameer, I cannot fathom how beginning to care for other creatures of this world could hardly be considered worse than the alternative. We are running out of resources, Livestock production is literally killing the planet, It isn't the natural way of things, it is big corporations using every cold hearted method to extract every dollar they can no matter how horrific the price. The steps we need to take today can in no way measure up against the horrors that tomorrow will bring if we don't stand together and stop the cycle of death that is poisoning our world.
I dont mean to be disrespectful because your post was very well written. I am just saying please think about what it means.

November 26
send a green star

Diane S.

2:11PM PST on Nov 21, 2011

Excellent article, thank you.

November 21
send a green star

Jackie D.

12:44AM PST on Nov 9, 2011

If only Jesus had preached kindness and empathy rather than love.

November 9
send a green star

Jillian B.

9:23AM PDT on Nov 4, 2011

I agree with Ryder W, LOL Dogs rule, mine do exactly what his do, I got stepped on hard this morning to get up and get them food.

November 4
send a green star

Svetlana B.

3:21PM PDT on Nov 3, 2011

Thank You for the post.

November 3
send a green star

Muriel S.

12:54PM PDT on Nov 3, 2011

Thank you. I quite agree!

Roger B.

7:51AM PDT on Nov 3, 2011

Ameer, when Krishna counseled Arjuna that he had to go to war, was that phucking for chastity? When India invaded East Pakistan because the West Pakistanis were raping and murdering East Pakistanis en mass, was that phucking for chastity? When hundreds of thousands of allied troops put their lives on the line on the beaches of Normandy for the sake of human dignity and freedom, was that phucking for chastity?

Ameer T.

12:07AM PDT on Nov 3, 2011

Where humanity is concerned, ask the humanists for a solution, not your politians, nor hope that they can help either because they never have never will and never can.

Search for your humanist mentor whether he/ she be dead or alive. Stick to the good teachings and try to change things the way they should be changed. Any fool can blow up or break away existing systems with force if they have it and reinstitute another in its place. But is it possible to convert the corrupt system, change it without having to kill someone or destroy something? can the world be created and constructed without having to destroy it all first? How can lasting, permanent change be brought about without commiting the same violence against which change was being suggested? can crime be eradicated without killing the criminal?

Will mankind ever look towards its past to not repeat the mistakes it has made over and over and over again in trying to devise a solution.

I agree that mankind needs to take the next step and move forward. in order to move forward it needs to solve its problems. but when the suggested solutions are worse than the problems themselves then i am afraid i dont concur.

Ryder W.

11:05PM PDT on Nov 2, 2011

the way i see it, dogs ARE in charge!
they have humans wrapped around their little paws. somehow they've gotten us to give them free room and board, give them all the food they can dream of, warm beds, toys, love and affection. we clean up after them, groom them, take them for walks when we don't feel like it, and spend thousands of dollars on vet bills to keep them safe and healthy. and what do they do for us? nothing but be themselves.
my dogs definitely run things in my house. they take up most of my bed at night so i can't move, they steal food right off of my plate, they stand on me when they want me to wake up to let them outside. but i still love them.
humans are inferior in that relationship. dogs are clearly secret geniuses. haha