Homo Sapiens Or Homo Psychopathiens?
Print This Post
psychopath, n. a person having a character disorder distinguished by amoral or antisocial behaviour without feelings of remorse
amoral, adj. 1. without moral quality; neither moral or immoral. 2. lacking or indifferent to moral standards, criteria, or principles
moral, adj. 1. of, or pertaining to, or concerned with the principles of right conduct or the distinction between right and wrong; ethical
I watched Earthlings for the first time last week with a group of university students that were also seeing it for the first time. Now I’ve been fighting and speaking up for the rights of animals for almost 10 years and I’ve seen a lot of sickening, twisted and horrible animal cruelty caught on tape. I thought I was immune!
But what I saw in Earthlings was so vile and so overwhelming that it truly disgusted me to be associated with the rest of humanity. I wasn’t myself for days. I won’t go into the graphic details of the film, as I’m sure most of you reading this have already seen it. But if you haven’t, I recommend you do, animal activist or not (albeit armed with a good supply of tissues).
As I facilitated the post-film discussion, I asked the teary-eyed kids in attendance if they thought the people committing the incomprehensible acts of violence in the film were psychopaths or if our entire society was psychopathic to allow, promote and participate in the institutionalized cruelty we so easily and without provocation inflict upon the animals.
I believe our society, hell, our whole damn species, is psychopathic. I can’t think of any sane reason for what we do to the animals. We know they feel pain. We know they suffer and bleed and fear death. We know that when they’re beaten they cry out in agony.
We know they can sense when they’re about to be slaughtered and we know they try to avoid it with every fiber of their being. We know they experience terror and we know that their screams are screams of terror and not of indifference. We know it but that knowledge doesn’t stop most of us from doing it.
And what do we make of people like ourselves; part of this violent and sadistic culture yet dedicated to peace and compassion? What makes us different? Not everyone who sees Earthlings, or sees the inside of a slaughterhouse for that matter, will go vegan (although I’m certain many will). Why do some people change while others do not?
Is it perhaps that we are the next link in the evolution of humankind; homo sapiens pathiens (from the Greek pathos meaning to evoke pity or compassion): the wise and compassionate human? I don’t know. I don’t have all the answers.
But I do know that sooner or later some of us will ask ourselves: how do we go on? How do we keep on fighting when 99% of humanity – our friends, family, co-workers and community leaders – have such utter contempt and disregard for the feelings and suffering of animals? How do we go on when it seems like we’re powerless to protect the animals from the evils of the human race?
The answer is we just do.
Well, I won’t watch “Earthlings” for it serves no purpose for me personally to witness further atrocities. However, it is good that you reviewed it and hopefully those unacquainted with these horrors will get a ‘heads up’ from it. Alas, humans after watching TV for generations, have become accoustomed to merely watching horror without interacting. They are disconnected from considering ‘from whence’ comes my food,clothing, and ingredients of products. Like yourself, I am somewhat embarassed to be a human sometimes.
Harry Hebert´s last blog ..Quotes – Page 182
I’ve seen it and I bought a few copies to give out.
I think it’s important for vegans and animal advocates to watch it so they can speak with more confidence about animal cruelty.
I found that after watching the film that I was inspired to get more involved. Knowledge is power.
I’m interested in this idea of the human species itself being psychopathic. If it is, what are we to make of clinical psychopaths, those one percent of humans who are genetically disposed to have no conscience whatsoever? Perhaps it is the psychopaths, not we, who are the next evolution? In a sense, not having a conscience can be an effective survival tool, at least in an individualist world; empathy is vital for living in tribes or close-knit societies, but more and more we are getting away from that in favor of atomized living.
As much as I would like to believe it, I have to say that I don’t buy the idea that vegans are somehow a different species or are the first link in a new species. I know too many ex-vegans, and too many empathetic meat eaters for that to make sense.
That is an interesting question though, about why some people can watch Earthlings and go on exploiting animals, while other people watch it and change their entire lives as a result. It’s not that the first group has no conscience. I have known meat eaters to be shaken up by the facts about factory farming and yet go on eating factory farmed animals anyway. I don’t think it’s as simple as one group being homo psychopathiens and the other being homo sapiens pathiens. But there are obviously some differences at work, and I’d like to hear more of your insights about it.
Hi Matt! Of course you’re right, and you make a good point about ex-vegans. I really don’t have any further insights; this was written more out of frustration than anything else. Like I wrote, I don’t have all the answers. I just don’t know why we can’t live by the credo: do no harm, and that be the end of it. And I truly can’t understand how so many people, considered sane and upstanding members of the community, can torture animals, even setting them on fire and stabbing them with knives, and derive pleasure from it (while thousands of mentally healthy spectators watch and cheer). It seems “normal” is to cause animals pain and torment and to care about animal suffering is “radical” and “extreme”. It’s like something from the Twilight Zone.
Daniel´s last blog ..Homo sapiens or Homo psychopathiens?
I don’t understand how people, knowing what’s going on, can keep on eating animals and using the products of their exploitation. I talk with friends who have read Skinny Bitch, saw footage of factory farming etc. but still can’t give it up all together.
Maybe it’s some its the feeling that giving up comfort will be too hard, not wanting to be part of a minority… Or for some the simple belief that animals don’t care and that that’s what they are on Earth for.
I haven’t been able to watch Earthling, I tried a couple of times but it’s too hard for me.
I have been vegan for over a year now and can’t imagine ever going back.
Alejandra´s last blog ..The Drifter Premiere in Vancouver
Alejandra, I think you hit the nail on the head. People don’t like giving things up. We’re taught to consume, consume, consume! Restraint is very rare. And I think it’s a willful disconnect Harry. Not knowing too much means you don’t have to change. But I’m with Elaine and I plan to get as many people to watch Earthlings as I can. I think distributing the DVD is an excellent idea.
Daniel´s last blog ..Homo sapiens or Homo psychopathiens?
Haven’t seen the movie, but it sounds really cool!