I’ve just discovered that as part of the British government’s withdrawal from the EU, it’s voted to scrap legislation that protects animals as sentient beings. Of all the laws the illegitimate Tory party could possibly repeal, I was surprised to discover that this one seems to have hit me the hardest. It’s incredulous that ministers have agreed that non-humans ‘cannot feel pain or emotions,’ stripping them of all rights and legal protection formerly provided by Europe. I wish I could force Theresa May and her cruel ilk to read the hundreds of scientific studies which clearly show the reverse- some of which I featured in an article on this topic a couple of years ago. I’ll repost it here, with a suggestion that the Tories are the only (non?) humans incapable of compassion and empathy. My dog (and my cat, and maybe even my hamster) would beat all of them hands down in any contest related to emotion. I bet your pets would, too.
Everything you think you know about animals is wrong: How science is forcing us to reconsider the twin myths of human superiority and dumb creatures
Human beings are the most intelligent of all the world´s species, that’s the narrative we tell ourselves. We deserve our superior status over other animal species because of the following scientific truths: only humans are self-aware and feel empathy; we are unique in our abilities to use language and tools; only we can recognize ourselves in a mirror and understand the passing of time.
However, advances in cognitive ethology (the scientific study of animal intelligence, emotions, behaviours, and social life) have now disproved these ´truths´, showing that many other creatures also display a complex range of emotions, highly evolved communication skills, compassion for others, and intelligence that rivals- or even surpasses- our own. These ground-breaking studies force us to ask some uncomfortable questions about our place in the world, and have caused leading experts to call for a radical rethink of the way we treat other animals.
Communicative mice, kindly rats and compassionate chickens
Among the findings are that yes, fish do feel pain , and not only that but acidic water actually makes them nervous. Chickens are not only very intelligent, they can also feel each other´s pain, and they demonstrate physiological signs of concern and distress at the suffering of their young.
Similar conclusions were drawn in a cruel study of mice who were doused in acid. Not only were the empathic rodents more sensitive to the pain of their peers than to their own agony, but researchers also suggested they “might be talking to each other” about their pain, too. Take a moment to let that sink in….
And while rats don´t have the best of reputations, there is much research to suggest they too are compassionate, communicative and highly intelligent. One group of scientists found that, given the choice, rats prefer to free others from a cage rather than help themselves to candy. What´s more, the rats had not been taught to open the cages in advance. Researcher Peggy Mason noted: “That was very compelling … It said to us that essentially helping their cagemate is on a par with chocolate. He can hog the entire chocolate stash if he wanted to, and he does not. We were shocked.”
On Boxing Day morning at 7 am, after months of heavy rain, we were woken by the sound of flood sirens as the river Calder burst its banks. Within an hour, the valley where I live in West Yorkshire, England, was six feet underwater.
Hebden Bridge resident Helen Baron posted this image of the town on Facebook on Boxing Day morning. The scene was the same all over the valley.
Children lost the Christmas presents they had received a day earlier, families were made homeless, cars were floating around in the streets, and in the pretty low-lying towns of Hebden Bridge, Todmorden and Mytholmroyd, small businesses were completely devastated. Everyone here in the Calder Valley is either affected or knows someone who is.
The last time we saw flooding like this was back in 1968, and most were not prepared (or even insured) for the damage. The scene was the same all over the north of England: in York, Leeds, Manchester, Lancashire and Cumbria, sinkholes opened up, the army was called in to rescue those trapped in their homes, and whole buildings and bridges collapsed into the deluge.
A Christian, Muslim and Sikh share a touching hug at St James Church, Hebden Bridge. Credit: Rachel Brandwood, Facebook.
Ten days later, it’s still a chaotic scene where I live. But these kinds of disasters bring out the best in people, and the response from kind-hearted strangers has been overwhelming. In just four days, the local community raised £175,000 to help flood victims, people volunteered their time during the Christmas holiday to help in the clean-up operation, and residents have driven up to the North from other parts of Britain to offer free machinery for cleaning and dehumidifying, free carpet-fitting, and other essential services to those hit the hardest.
Thousands of people have donated money and materials, shelter and food, and local supermarkets have sent out teams of volunteers to help those in need, even giving away free cleaning materials, brushes and buckets. People have donated new furniture, charity music gigs have been arranged, a crowdfunding page has been set up- and in addition to the support offered by churches in the area, the local Muslim community in particular has shown incredible generosity.
The Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association traveled to the North from London to help. Credit: Sara Robinson/Hebden Bridge Town Hall, Facebook
The Islam Centre in nearby Halifax brought hot food to people in the Calder valley, while Muslim volunteers from charity groups The Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association, One Nation, and the Al-Mubarak Foundation visited the area to help flood victims.
They coordinated relief efforts with a local church, sent out volunteers to help people clean up their homes and businesses, and have even opened their doors to homeless families. The solidarity shown by so many Muslim and Sikh community groups is heartwarming and has made the local tragedy much easier to deal with.
Sikh community groups also came to Hebden Bridge offering delicious Indian food to those in need. The group has been catering for 400 people. Credit: Ravi Singh, Facebook
Local resident Jenny Courtney Fidgeon, badly affected by the floods, left this heart-warming message on a local Facebook page for victims:
“While walking through Hebden today for the first time since boxing day when we lost our home, I realised something; life, love and a restored faith in humanity has come out of this disaster. I feel so proud of this community…people of all faiths and walks of life have come together to help each other. Community spirit still reigns.”
Perhaps the strangest sight we have seen in recent days are the big, burly-looking bikers hanging out on street corners with their Harley Davidsons. They look tough. They look intimidating. But forget the ‘Hells’ part: these lads are angels, full stop.
Four different biker gangs have travelled to the flood-hit towns in this valley to deter looters: because as much as these events bring out the best in humanity, they inevitably highlight the worst, too. Victims who have emptied their destroyed homes and businesses have been targeted by a small minority of callous thieves, who saw the tragedy as an opportunity to take what they can from the mud-stained streets as the floodwater receded.
Lloyd Spencer and Dave Cariss of Drifters MCC, West Yorkshire. Credit: Courtesy of Drifters MCC
Bikers have done a great job of scaring away would-be thieves by patrolling the area throughout the night since Tuesday. The local community and police have been welcoming to these unusual volunteers, offering them food and hot drinks for their service. Hero biker Kath Dearden sent this touching message of mutual appreciation to local people on Facebook:
“Our team worked tirelessly in the rain all with smiles on their faces. I’m so proud of each and everyone of you guys n girls…thank you yet again. We will still be patrolling New Years Eve and every day until you don’t need us anymore. We feel like one big family. You are all so kind leaving us food hot drinks. And thank you to the fantastic family who brought us trays and trays of home made curry…total respect to all tonight…keep up the good work..xx”
Despite the devastation, the floods haven’t destroyed the true spirit of Christmas. The worst flooding in decades may have ruined our holidays, but it’s also restored our faith in humanity.
Home: The beautiful Calder Valley, West Yorkshire. Climate change means mild, wet winters, making this area prone to dangerous winter flooding.
View original on the True Activist site. (How The Love Shown By Muslims And Biker Gangs Saved My Flooded Town). Note: my Yorkshire friends complain about American spellings. My editor complains about English spellings. This version is English, but I don’t usually ‘correct’ articles before publishing them here. Whichever side of the pond you are on, please don’t moan about spelling ‘errors’- it’s hard being British and working on American magazines!
Human emotion isn’t as complex as we like to believe. When someone hurts us, we want revenge. We feel anger and hatred. We want to make those who have humiliated and scorned us suffer. We might think we’re over all that. We might, as individuals, make a conscious decision to avoid conflict in our lives, we might try (at least) to forgive, to take the moral high ground by not fighting fire with fire. Everyone knows an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind, right?
But when the suffering is not ours alone, but a shared trauma- one that bonds us with other human beings we’ve never even met- all of these wise and compassionate ideas are tossed aside. On Friday, Paris was subjected to another barbaric terrorist attack, the second in less than a year. ISIS have allegedly claimed responsibility for the brutal murder of 120 innocent people, although as usual no evidence for this has been offered to the public.
As I write, French jets are attacking the city of Raqqah. They have dropped at least 20 bombs so far, and no doubt many more will be launched before the night is through. “We are going to lead a war which will be pitiless,” French President Francois Hollande has promised. But let’s take a step back from the strong emotions that terrorist attacks inevitably cause. Is all-out war really the only reaction? Is it the the moral reaction? Is it a reaction which will lead to a more peaceful world? Surely not, since Islamic extremists claim to be conducting their own revenge attack for French involvement in the bombing of Syria.
Today’s French airstrike, which was coordinated with the United States, was carried out simultaneously from Jordan and the United Arab Emirates. According to the French government, fighter jets have taken out an ISIS command and control center, a training camp and a munitions warehouse. Great, says the internet. They f***g deserve it, man.
But who are they? Just like carpet-bombing Iraq after 9/11, just like hunting for Bin Laden in Afghanistan, this knee-jerk reaction – the need to hurt and maim those responsible- is directed at the wrong people.
Look at the image below. It is a photograph, taken today, of a child in the Syrian city of Raqqah. Should she pay for Paris? This picture, just as sad and shocking as any we’ve seen coming from the carnage in France, was posted on Twitter by @PalmyraPioneer with the caption: ‘To the people & government in #France, #Raqqa City residents are not all #ISIS , we please do not targets at random.’
This terrified child didn’t attack Paris. So why is it OK for France to attack her city?
How many civilians have been killed in the revenge attacks? How many kids? How many mothers and fathers? How many more desperate refugees will this create? How many more young Muslims will be radicalized due to Western attacks on Islamic countries? What kind of a future do our grandchildren face? Will we look back and wish we’d learned to deal with our anger and fear in a different way? I for one hope so, because if not they have no future at all. None of us do.
The war drums are banging again. Paris has provoked widespread anger, hatred and a hunger for revenge in the West. Those of us who truly care about all human beings- not just those white, European, non-Muslim ones, but everyone, including the innocent child pictured above- need to reject the idea of war under any circumstances. We also need to remember the blood on the hands of Bush and Blair, the lies they told to attack Iraq, and realize that revenge will lead us to WW3.
One thing we all have in common is that none of us want that.
Richmond in California has consistently ranked in the USA’s top ten cities for violent crime. Back in 2006, the city was desperate for a solution. A new police chief was brought in to sort out the mess, but rather than the usual heavy-handed tactics, he decided to do something fresh, radical…and controversial.
The new chief set up a program called the Office of Neighborhood Safety, or ONS. He hired a man called Devone Boggart to run the operation, which aimed to prevent gun violence through mentoring, counselling, career advice, emotional support- and cold, hard cash. Richmond’s most violent men are offered up to $1000 per month in exchange for good behaviour- and while this was a highly controversial move, the statistics speak for themselves: theONS program has an 80% success rate.
There’s no doubt about it: the world is seriously messed up. If you’re not feeling a little bit sad right now, you’re probably either already taking an assortment of pills to deal with the pain or you live off-grid in a forest somewhere, blissfully ignorant of ISIS vs Western Imperialism, Monsanto, Ecocide, TTIP, and, of course, Brexit– more on that (sore) subject when I’ve mustered up the energy to get my soapbox out. For now, though, what the world needs more than anything is positivity. So rather than giving into the temptation to hide under your duvet until the day humanity blows itself into oblivion or descends into total anarchy, here are a few proactive and realistic steps you can take to put a smile back on your face.
Bond with mother nature
Credit: pexels.com CC licence
This is absolutely crucial to restoring your energy levels and feel connected to the Earth. Not only is nature breathtakingly beautiful, but the great outdoors is a great stress-free zone. No wifi and mobile signals messing up your brain, no CCTV cameras, no man-made noise, no light pollution, and no crowds. Whether you’re walking through a forest or sitting down by the ocean, you notice an instant calming effect that soothes the soul. Nature is oblivious to humanity’s problems. No matter what’s going on with our dumb species, the wind keeps rustling in the treetops, the ocean keeps making waves, babbling brooks keep flowing, and birds keep singing. If you live close enough to the wilderness to head out for one hour a day and enjoy the tranquility, do it! If you’re a city dweller, try heading to a park at lunchtime, exercise outside rather than in a gym, and plan regular weekends away to escape the oppressive urban jungle as much as you possibly can. Never underestimate the healing power of the natural world.
Turn off the TV
Credit: Wikimedia
Television acts like a drug, and even alters your brain chemistry. You should probably do yourself a favour and throw out the brain-drain altogether, but if you can’t go that far, at least try to limit your consumption. Try not to come home and turn on the TV unconsciously; instead plan to only watch shows that are positive, funny, uplifting or educational, and leave the idiot box turned off until then. Start looking for inspirationalfilms and documentaries you can watch on your laptop. Choose your own entertainment, rather than let pop culture choose it for you.
Get involved
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Dwelling on the many urgent global issues that need fixing isn’t going to help you or anyone else, so instead choose just one cause you feel passionate about, and get involved in it. If homelessness is your main concern, maybe you could spend one day a week volunteering at a soup kitchen. If it’s animal cruelty, you could offer to help out at your local shelter. If you simply don’t have time to do this regularly, there are other options: why not organize a one-off local music concert, jumble sale or even a bungee jump to raise money for something close to your heart?
If you need inspiration, click here for 10 specific things you can do to make a positive change in the world, and always remember the words of anthropologist Margaret Mead:
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”
Finally, don’t forget that even those seemingly tiny things make a huge difference. Smile at strangers. Give things to charity. Buy holiday gifts from Fair-trade and charity organizations that pay a decent wage to artisans in the developing world. Just continue being a kind person…and be kind to yourself, too.
Avoid the mainstream news
A selection of racist, fear-mongering headlines that will do nothing to boost your mood. Credit: CC license, pressreform.blogspot
Fear, terror, shock, horror, fear, terror, shock, horror…it makes absolutely no sense to wallow in the awfulness of it all. What will it achieve? If you can’t avoid the news for work reasons, I feel your pain. But promise yourself to take one month’s ‘media fast’ per year, where you don’t watch or read any news at all. You quickly learn that the negative energy we create when we feel anxious, angry or frustrated at the world is always better spent on positive thought and action. Terrifying newsreports tend to spark widespread fear, division, and hatred for ‘the other’, all of which are detrimental to our shared goal of harmony, happiness, and global peace. Apart from the obvious negativity generated by the corporate media, there are various reasons you really can’t trust it to give you an honest account of what’s happening in the world. Consider the growing number of journalists who have come out and blown the whistle on the reality of news-gathering and reporting to expose an industry that cares very little for honesty and integrity. Striving to be a critical thinker can provide much-needed protection against the fear machine, so educate yourself about how the mainstream media actually works.
Channel your frustration creatively
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Don’t get mad, get poetic. Writing, drawing, painting, vlogging or blogging, playing a musical instrument, or creating GIFs and shareable memes online are all ways of venting your frustration at the world in a positive way. Creativity is a wonderful antidote to depression. Many people claim they don’t have an artistic side, but I’m skeptical- even doodling on paper can relieve stress, and even if you think you can’t write a poem, you won’t know until you try.
Disconnect (to reconnect!)
Credit: Wikimedia
A recent study from Denmark suggested we’d all feel much happier if we had a break from socialmedia. The Danish Happiness Institute found that participants who put down their smartphones and quit Facebook for a week were more content, and (not surprisingly) interacted more with real-life human beings. Socialmedia can definitely be used for positive change, but if you’re depressed about the world it could do you good to back away from your smartphone for a few days, at least.
Take control of your mind
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Reminding yourself to live in the present moment is a very effective way to eliminate worrying and get some perspective. It’s easy to forget that the past is gone and the future doesn’t exist: all you really have is now. So many of us panic about what might happen or spend a lot of time wishing the past had been different. Since we have no control over any of this, it’s a total waste of your mental energy. If you don’t seem to be able to stop thinking, it’s worth considering meditation. There are even groups that participate in global group meditations to visualize world peace, and these kinds of initiatives have even been credited with lowering crime rates in cities like New York and LA (the idea is that individual brain waves can affect the collective consciousness).
Spiritual philosophers like LouiseHay, Eckhart Tolle, AlanWatts and Jiddu Krishnamurti are well worth checking out for anyone who wants to use positive affirmations, mindfulness, ancient wisdom and meditation to visualize a better planet (or even just to make beneficial changes in your own life). If this all sounds like nonsense so far, I recommend watching a powerful film called ‘What The Bleep Do We Know’, which uses the latest cutting-edge research in quantum mechanics and interviews with leading physicists to illustrate how human beings are truly the co-creators of their own reality. True story! You might also want to read an unusual book called ‘Handbook for the New Paradigm’: it’s very strange, impossible to describe, and requires the suspension of disbelief at times, but it will leave you feeling very hopeful and empowered about the simple steps you can take to wrestle our lovely blue planet back from those who seem intent on destroying it.
Remember: millions of people feel the same as you!
Credit: Wikimedia commons
Realizing you’re not alone in feeling despair for the world is important. Even if your Facebook feed is full of intolerance and apathy, it doesn’t mean nobody else cares. Just remember the millions of people around the world who are campaigning for change. Surround yourself with like-minded people, and never underestimate the importance of a hug! Reddit even has a forum for people who are feeling down, so if you can’t speak to anyone in your life about how frustrated and down you feel, try the online community.
Nurture yourself
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Repeat this mantra:“I am not a superhero.” Nobody expects you to be, and nobody is asking you to be. So stop beating yourself up about things that are absolutely out of your control. If you’ve got to the point where you’re so sad about the suffering of others that you’re no longer looking after yourself, you’re really no use to anyone. You’re big-hearted, so it’s normal you can’t stop thinking about the plight of refugees or all those people on the streets this winter- but you’d be much more able to take proactive steps to help them if you make sure you’re healthy and happy first. So exercise, sleep and eat well. Do what you love. Give yourself a break. Be your own best friend. It’s vital to stay happy if you want to make the world a better place. It might sound silly, but just dancing around your living room to uplifting music will give you an instant energy and endorphin boost. Sing in the shower. Smile even if you don’t feel like it. Hey, there’s even a lot to be said for watching funny goat videos.
10. Celebrate and be grateful for the positives
Credit: Wikimedia
Despite the fact there are so many global issues that urgently need addressing, the world really isn’t as bad as it seems: if you turn off the TV and stop reading the news, this quickly becomes apparent. Statistically, things are getting better across the board: global poverty is reducing, campaign groups like Avaazare working, and all over the world, people are doingwonderful things and making huge changes. Emily Dickinson said:“Hope is a thing with wings,” and she was right. The best way to make the world a better place is to begin with yourself and those around you. Treat yourself and your loved ones with love and compassion first, and you will likely find this starts spreading. Make just one person smile today, and you have made a difference.
Researchers have found that “people who keep gratitude journals on a weekly basis are healthier, more optimistic, and more likely to make progress toward achieving personal goals.” Scientists say that people who write ‘gratitude letters’ to someone who made a difference in their lives “score higher on happiness and lower on depression, and the effect lasts for weeks.” So instead of feeling guilty for your own blessings, say thank you regularly. Every night, make a list of all the positive things that happened to you today, no matter how small. Start your day by telling yourself that something wonderful is going to happen, and within a few days you’ll feel more in control and more optimistic about life – and better prepared to make positive changes in the world.
First published here on the True Activist site (USA) and recycled after Brexit.
Sophie McAdam 