Martyn Stewart wrote:
> It is a fact of life i'm afraid, Greg. Even when
> people respect each other they are still disconnected.
> It is the way we are genetically built.
I deny this essentialist argument. There is absolutely nothing in our genet=
ic make-up that makes us any more or less empathetic, vicious, etc. Rather =
it is almost exclusively a matter of environment and culture, as thousands =
of examples demonstrate. Change the culture and change the person. (A slow =
process.)
I also deny the fact that most people agree with such slaughters. Ask them =
and most will disagree emphatically with whaling, seal killing, etc. The di=
fference is that most are not politically engaged enough to do something ab=
out it. This is especially true in North America where the political proces=
s is particularly closed and range of choices narrow. But I believe with Le=
onard Cohen that "democracy is coming to the USA". (Though unlike Scott-Her=
on, I am sure the revolution will be televised.)
I am optimistic on these matters, but also a realist in terms of how much I=
expect any one person to change given the context they find themselves in.=
But if everyone was to move one step forward in synchrony, the world would=
quake.
I hope to be alive to record that sound.
-- remanence.robinparmar.com
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