George Thorndike Angell
Table of Contents
“Sapiens”
I have read a book called “Sapiens” by Yuval Noah Harari and In his book, I learned about human evolution and how our cognitive skills (thinking skills) started to develop. With the discovery of fire, humans started to experiment with animals alive in the fire. This way they feasted on the animals and started dominating over them.
In the past, people merely thought of animals as food. The sole purpose of the existence of animals was to be beneficial for humans. But as the year passes, human’s outlook on animals gradually widened up. From a young age, we were told to be kind to everyone. It is in our moral values to be compassionate towards others.
Why should we be kind to Animals?
We should think of animals as sentient beings who can feel and perceive just like we humans. We have pet animals whom we care for and love the same as our families. Similarly, the wild animals also long for the same love and care that we give to our pet animals. So we need to be compassionate towards them and treat every animal equally like how we do in our society.
We are different ( Home Sapien = Wise Man)
We, humans, have the intellectual and the capability to feel for other beings just like how we have compassion towards ourselves and other humans, we should also feel the same towards the animals. Since animals don’t have the voice to raise and we’re gifted with it. So we humans have to be more thoughtful and be their voice. But It is saddening to see us humans use our abilities in the wrong way.
Consuming them for their satisfaction for their taste, wearing their skin to look good, testing on them for their monetary gain, and using them for entertainment. If all this happens to us humans, just imagine how we will respond. So It’s very important to understand others by putting ourselves into their shoes. Since animals struggle every day and every minute, we humans should develop compassion and support them because we have the capability to do so.
For example, if we get a small wound on our body parts. It pains us, we cry and we seek help. But for the animals, they are separated from their family and they are even taken to the slaughterhouse. Since they don’t have the voice to raise and seek the help they have to undergo all the suffering. It’s time to bring a change for them and help them. In the cycle of pain and suffering, all living beings deserve empathy and compassion.
My Journey of being an animal lover.
Ever since I was young, I loved animals a lot. When I was in 8th grade, I volunteered at a vet clinic in my locality. This experience opened my eyes and I really enjoyed spending time with them.
When I studied at Sambhota Tibetan school Bylakuppe, I came across few stray dogs I could connect easily. Gradually I came to know they live near our school campus and depend on our school lunch. I saw a voice in them asking me for help. So I decided to feed them every alternate day through my pocket money. Due to the pandemic, I saw many more street dogs in my locality who were starving. So I made myself clear to help them too. Since then, I have even created a YouTube channel to raise more awareness of animals.
Animal kindness quote
“Anyone who has no feelings for animals has a dead heart.”
Raegan Butcher, Rusty String Quartet
“Animals are a window to your soul and a doorway to your spiritual destiny. If you let them into your life and allow them to teach you, you will be better for it.”
Kim Shotola, The Soul Watchers: Animals’ Quest to Awaken Humanity
“The way you treat the animals around you will be the nature of the animal within you”
Sir P.S. Jagadeesh Kumar