Friday, April 13, 2012
Saturday, April 7, 2012
The Human Psyche and Animal Rights

ABUSE.
By Aaiz A.
What does the above photo reveal to you about the person?
All of our mutual hopes and aspirations lie in the conservation of our environment and maintaining the beloved ecological balance. We are also gathered together to provide a forum to advocate the protection of the rights of the much neglected weaker species which we humans tend to believe are beneath us.
But we must ask ourselves, why? Why do we captivate, abuse and even murder animals. We already know from our recent experience with the dolphin lagoon or cage scenario that we captivate animals for commercial reasons and to reap material benefits at their expense. But also another reason for this is deep rooted issues within the human psyche or soul itself.
Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) and American Psychiatric Association(APA) have done studies which show that Animal abuse is indeed the most basic symptom or characteristic feature of CONDUCT DISORDER which is manifested even from childhood, itself. We see that those who are diagnosed with conduct disorder’s initial victims are small animals like cats, rabbits etc. and when they grow up they take on bigger victims like their wives or children. It is also proven that some mobsters or thugs also have conduct disorder with their initial victims being animals.
“Conduct disorder is a psychological disorder diagnosed in childhood that presents itself through a repetitive and persistent pattern of behavior in which the basic rights of others or major age-appropriate norms are violated. These behaviors are often referred to as "antisocial behaviors.” – Source Wikipedia.
Animal cruelty is also referred to as zoosadism which is also one of the stages of ‘Macdonald triad’ (the others being aggression and interestingly enough, Enuresis (bed wetting.)) which leads to sociopathic behavior. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), United States of America have conducted surveys and medical diagnosis to find out that sociopaths who are characterized by murder or abuse or violence, for the sake of the pleasure (Psychological or Sexual) obtained by it and psychopaths who are often serial killers (such as Jack the Ripper himself) known to murder a series of people to showcase their superiority are actually socially depraved as children and were known to spend time torturing small animals in various violent fashions and finding enjoyment in doing that.
Hence, Authorities in western countries are actually encouraging and calling parents to submit children and teens who torture animals for psychiatric diagnosis and treatment.
Moreover, it is quite possible to find a quite close link between animal abuse and other social issues of the day:-
Abusing an animal is a way for a human to find power/joy/fulfillment through the torture of a victim they know cannot defend itself.
Then, when we actually sit back and think about it, it is the same thing with rape. What is rape if not, a way for a human to find power/joy/fulfillment through the sexual torture of a victim they know cannot defend themselves.
The same can be applied to domestic violence and child abuse, it too is a way for a human to find power/joy/fulfillment through the torture of a victim they know cannot defend themselves.
Before concluding this already elongated article, I would like to bring to your notice the relationship between Animal abuse to other social stratification and racism. It is quite obvious that chauvinism is a sad human character. We believe we are superior to other beings. So isn’t it the same phenomena of Humans first, which eventually leads to White people first, Westerners First, Men First, the Rich first and other such firsts which had created social issues which we are struggling to erase even today, namely colonialism, war, racism, sexism, class and caste differences, unequal distribution of wealth and poverty? We are all god’s creation and despite the intellectual difference between us and other creatures, we are all the rightful inheritors of god’s green earth and if god has blessed us as the governors of shouldn’t we be fair and just to the other creatures too? If not what difference is there between us and a dictatorial ruler who undermines the basic rights of his subjects?
Sunday, April 1, 2012
Short Writing. 1 - Departure
Anyway moving on.. This post is an attempt to start writing short stories and stuff again. In my roleplay writing days, I used to write a lot. Then I got off it and concentrated more on social issue related articles and stuff. I know I'd probably suck at it by now but I thought I'd start trying to write again like earlier. Just for the heck of it, yeah. :P So this is a one shot. I named it Departure.
So here you go (PS:- if anyone still reads this shit, criticize me. Thank you.) :-
“Do you know where you are going to go or what you are going to do when you get to Manhattan,” Ray asked unloading the last piece of luggage from his Porsche into a trolley . They had just reached the Los Angeles International Airport.
‘I don’t know,’ replied a tall fair skinned brunette emerging from behind the car. ‘I really haven’t made any plans. I just need to get out of here. This city suffocates me, you know?’
‘Yea its understandable, I guess.’ Ray replied starting to steer the trolley towards the departure gates. ‘It just won’t be the same without you. Mayfair, this city, me... But you know, we’d get used to it. I’m going to promote Jenna to the new CEO , of course you’d still be a co founder of Mayfair but I guess I can run it by myself. At the rate things are going it practically runs by itself so I won’t have to do much either way. You don’t worry Charli, we’d manage without you. You just take care of yourself and get settled.’
‘Stop rambling Ray. I’m going to miss you too,’ Charli whispered placing her hand gently on top of Ray’s and looking directly into his eyes and smiling slightly. ‘And thanks for dropping me off by the way. I know how awkward things had been between us the last couple of months after the breakup. But there is no one else that I want to spend my last hours in LA, so I m just glad you are here’
‘Aw, it’s okay. All that’s behind us now, right? We are just good friends and that’s how it should be, right?’ Ray responded breaking the eye contact as his stomach clenched a bit. ‘You know, I still remember the day you came to LA. You were this fifteen year old goth who ran away from home and moved to the big city. Mrs. Felton, my next door neighbor found you in the street the very same day and practically adopted you. ‘
‘And here we stand, seven years later. So much has changed, hasn’t it? I’m no longer the fifteen year old goth.’ Charli said mimicking Ray with a slight smile playing into her lips. ‘Not really, Charli. You may not be the same girl that you once were. You have changed but the situation hasn’t, has it? You are still running away from life. How long are you gonna keep doing this?’
Charli frowned. ‘Don’t try to change my mind about this. This is something I have to do. I need a new start. A clean break. To go to a place where people don’t know or judge me. You know, new people, new city. It would do me good. And Manhattan might just be the thing for me.’
Ray smiled and said, ‘Well I hope you find what you are looking for Charli.’ Charli nodded and replied, ‘Yea me too. And you know Ray, I can always spot your fake smile.’ She chuckled sadly before reaching out and hugging him. ‘ That’s the last call. I better be off. I’d miss you!’
‘And me, you. Call me’ He said hugging her back. ‘And you know, good luck with life in Manhattan. Take care’ ‘You too,’ Charli said before breaking off the hug. She planted a soft kiss on his cheek and started walking towards the departure gates, turning back to raise one hand in farewell. And as Ray waved at her forcing a grin, he knew that he would always love Charli Grant.
BYE minions. Have a great April.
Friday, October 21, 2011
Healthy Habits for a Healthy Environment
Environmentalism or environment protection moment as we know it originates back to mid 19th century. In Great Britain in the year of 1863, a set of laws were passed to fight air pollution in the name of British Alkali acts. As we move on to the 20th century, the environmentalist movement became even more popular. This was around the time in which animal rights or wild life activism originated due to the impact caused by the extinction of passenger pigeons. President Woodrow Wilson of America and the Nazi Government of Germany was particularly active in this animal rights activism.
As far as environmentalism today goes, it is one of the most HIT topics of the day. There has been a startlingly great rise in the number of environmentalist activists fighting for this noble cause. People and NGOs, are making great efforts to conserve our ecology and even world governments are financing major environment protection projects to fight threats like global warming and ozone depletion.
While this is indeed, a pleasant improvement what I believe is true change can be brought by working at the root level. When we look at our country Maldives, being a collection of coral reef islands we might be one of the most environmentally challenged nation of the modern world. And while making the global world aware of our situation and persuading them to decrease major emissions from factories in order to decrease global warming and sea level rise would indeed help, there are some things we could do ourselves.
We could start simply by recycling our waste. Most of us on our way back from work or school, buy something to eat. Typically, the shopkeeper would give us whatever products it is in a plastic bag. We take our food out of the bag and throw the bag on the road. As we all know the blue or red plastic bags that we all use, is really light. If nothing inside it can fly really easily with the air. And sooner or later it ends up in our seas, in our beaches wrapping itself in the corals, the rocks, sea turtles even dolphins suffocating them and taking them to their death. And whats worse is plastic bags which contains of polyethene are non biodegradable and would take more than a thousand years to decompose. Are we ready to take the responsibility for the damage this would cause to our environment? Can’t we simply carry another bag made of a cloth which we can take whenever we go to a shop and even if it is a plastic bag, why cant we simply reuse the same plastic bag instead of throwing it. Atleast then, the number of waste plastic bags will decrease. I was present in the World Environment day rally of 2010 organized by MHTE last year June and I saw a clearly disturbing scene. People who were screaming for the rights of sea turtles and other creatures and our biodiversity were throwing empty plastic bags after eating pop corn into the street. Isn’t this hypocrisy?
A different but clearly related problem is waste disposal. We blame the government for not giving us a proper waste disposal system but what we must understand our leaders are also not miracle workers. Sure, they are flaws in the regulation of waste disposal in thilafushi but that system is also there. Then why cant we simply dispose our waste bag into the allocated place (Kuni gondu) so that it can properly be transported to thilafushi itself instead of dumping it across the corner in front of someone else’s house, polluting the air of the whole region? If you walk near the YDP stadium in Maafanu early in the morning you can literally count tens of garbage bags every other corner but people, the ‘Kuni Gondu’ is not even a five minute walk from there.
Another problem is cigarette butts. We might not notice in our everyday busy lives, but those who read this when you go out today into the street just stand in a public place in the road or near a park or near a traffic light and just look at the ground beneath your feet and just observe the number of cigarette butts. Research proves that cigarette butts take as long as nine to ten years to fully biodegrade and some researchers believe that these never really decompose. And the thing about cigarette butts in male’ is they normally find themselves into the gutter and in the long run back into our sea water making it toxin.
Guys, the truth of the matter is if there is a rally or a protest regarding the cutting of a certain old aged tree most of us ‘environmentalists’ would go there and scream our guts out but do we know how much we are damaging our environment by simple unhealthy habits like the few that I have listed above? A simple action like throwing away a cigarette butt or a plastic bag can cause a change reaction or a butterfly effect which might cause tones of suffering for our environment.
Monday, September 26, 2011
BE HUMANE. PROTECT, PROMOTE AND PRESERVE ANIMALS.
BE HUMANE. PROTECT, PROMOTE AND PRESERVE ANIMALS. - AAIZ, ECOCARE MALDIVES.MV
Since the arrival of mankind on our planet, we have colonized the four pinnacles of earth and declared ourselves masters above all other species. Armed by our status as Homo sapiens sapiens priding with the power to think and extraordinary brain power altogether, humanity has rule this planet for centuries with great power. But with great power comes responsibility. Therefore, we have a great responsibility towards other animals that inhabit earth for they too are the rightful inheritors of our planet.
Animal rights have justifiably become a really big social issue in today’s world. Environmentalists and naturalists all over the world have risen to advocate the rights of our fellow creatures. The most basic and vital right that all animals deserve is the right to life, in the context that no animals should be killed without reason. This doesn’t mean we all have to turn vegetarians or anything. Guys, I am not saying that you shouldn’t turn vegetarian for medical reasons but in an environmental perspective being vegetarian cause more damage than good. This is mainly, because for the continual survival of animals and humans alike, we need to maintain the delicate balance of life that we call the ecosystem.
Some of the reasons how being vegetarian destroys this delicate balance stands thus:-
1) For starters, when people stop eating animal products we solely depend on plants for our food. This causes of overusing plant produce and thereby, limiting the food of the very animals we are trying to protect.
2) Plants are important for life. And if we stop eating animal produce, then plants would be the sole source of nutrition. And therefore, chance of plants going extinct is there.
3) Animals contain necessary proteins which humans can’t get from any plant anywhere in the world. So it is vital for our well being to eat animals.
4) The environment would get polluted if the number of plants decreases drastically and efficient gaseous exchange is not taken place.
So the answer is definitely not, turning vegetarian then what is the answer? It is the use of the methods of sustainable development in protecting animals too. For example hunting animals for fun, culture, pride, games should be stopped immediately. Even the animals we need to kill to eat, we should use efficient breeding methods.
For example: – In order to get chicken meat, we should not kill the baby chicks and a pair or two of a hen and a rooster should always be there for the sole purpose of breeding therefore more of this animal will continue to be born in this world. If we take another example more relevant to our country, where fish is the primary source of food, overfishing should not be practiced and fishing of entire shoals of fish should not be allowed and fishing in certain regions can be stopped in order to insure the survival of the species. I would like to take an example of a sad event that took place a few years back. A bunch of fisherman from the island of, HDH. Dhidhoo in order to challenge the Maumoon administration threw loads of freshly caught fishes into the Atoll office in protest to the decrease in the price rates at which fish was sold to foreign ships etc. I feel that this was a major violation of the rights of these fish as all of them had died for no reason and it was a great loss in an economic perspective too.
In less trivial issues than their right to life, animals should also be treated with kindness. Some of you may ask, why? They are just animals. Why should we treat them kindly? The simplest answer that I could give you is we are human. And one of the basic characteristic of our race is humanity. Being humane. And as humane beings we should be kind to those creatures who are our fellows in sharing this earth. We can be kind to animals by showing basic gestures like feeding some milk or a piece of dry fish to a hungry street cat or simply by avoiding hurting any animal in any possible way.
Protecting animals are very important for our survival. We are all part of the same ecosystem, the same cycle of life in which each factor or element depends on the other. The truth is, we need these animals to survive ourselves. So we should protect them for our own sake if not for theirs. Nature has made us all its sons and daughters irrespective of our nation, color or even species. Therefore we should all be able to coexist peacefully enjoying the fruits of Mother Nature.
THE ARTICLE CAN ALSO BE FOUND IN
http://ecocare.mv/be-humane-protect-promote-and-preserve-animals/
Also Check out
www.ecocare.mv
For many other important environment related, information etc.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Prayer
A very special prayer goes out for the kid who survived the incident and watched her best friends and principal die infront of her very eyes. May she find the strength to move on with life and may her faith strengthen.
Saturday, September 10, 2011
My Word Against JFK
Hey people, if there are any people left D: sorry, i was out for some time. had no muse to write, really.President Kennedy (May 29 1917 - November 22, 1963) a famous president amongst Americans of the past and today and also known to the whole world. I myself have heard President Kennedy's several times and folks I've got to tell you that almost 90% of those times it was in relation to his world famous quote, ' Ask not what your country can do for you, Ask what you can do for your country,'
I don't pretend to differ with Kennedy entirely, in this quote. Indeed it is true. It is important to ask in every step of our lives, what we can do for our country. because our country is very important, to be very honest i don't believe there is anything which is more important than your nation, your motherland. Therefore in each step of our waking lives, we should ask ourselves what we can do for our country? What all contributions we can make for our nation? What we as citizens can do to make our motherland a betterplace? What are our duties towards our sacred homeland?
But i believe it is almost equally important to ask ourselves and the state and the stake holders of the state and the society and the government and the parliament what the state does for us, Does the state fullfill our human rights? cause guys, lets get real here. If you are not content and if you don't get your wants satisfied you wont have the motivation to work as a humble and dynamic citizen for your country. When we scroll through the pages of history we also see something else. Most of the rebellious leaders who had gone out there and brought revolution to their countries were driven to do so because they were deprived of their rights. I m a huge fan of the nurture argument in the Nature VS Nurture debate, i don't have to be right but, its my belief that nobody is born as anything. We are what the society molds and shapes us to be. Therefore, nobody is born a freedom fighter or even a nationalist. We are made as such.
Besides, guys how does a nation prosper anyway? what is the real prosperity of a country. I believe that a nation prospers through the prosperity of its most important aspect, the population. As we progress, so does our country. Its a direct relationship. So we need to be given the basic rights by the state in order for us to progress hereby bringing our nation up the charts with us.
Rights and duties are like the two faces of the same coin, folks. And here is the thing about a coin. Many people have different views about it. A lot of people believe that head is opposite to the tail. But i think without the Head there wont be the tail. The head is part of the tail and the tail is part of the head. They are different, yes, they are very different. But they are also inseperable. The same applies to rights and duties. To explain the oneness of rights and duties I'd like to take a very simple example. We have the right to live but its our duty to serve our nation in our life. WE have the right to work, but its our duty to work for the betterment of our nation. It is our right to vote. But its our duty to vote to establish a better governance for our nation. As you'd have seen from the example we are empowered with rights so we can do our duties.
THEREFORE, in constrast to the statement made by JFK, i personally believe that asking what our country does for us is also very important because it is directly related in determination of what we can do for our country.
- AAR -