Sometimes I hate my own species...ok, a LOT of the time.

Discussion in 'Off Topic Area' started by Blade96, Nov 16, 2013.

  1. Blade96

    Blade96 shotokan karateka

    Ming was the oldest animal in the world...until human scientists killed the clam to check his age.

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencet...07-years-old-scientists-KILLED-shellfish.html

    I think thats awful. Reminds me of a newspaper article I once read as a teen....A man in that story had a tree blocking his driveway...so he cut it down. Turns out they found out that tree was 700 years old. I actually cried reading it....How that soul survived the storms of 700 winters actually to be cut down by a human who for sure didn't know what he was doing but, still.
     
    Last edited: Nov 16, 2013
  2. Simon

    Simon Administrator Admin Supporter MAP 2017 Koyo Award

  3. holyheadjch

    holyheadjch Valued Member

    You know it's just a clam, right? Considering the list of crimes against this planet we commit on a daily basis, this really shouldn't register.
     
  4. Simon

    Simon Administrator Admin Supporter MAP 2017 Koyo Award

    Yeah, bit it's Ming.

    It's merciless. :banana:
     
  5. Dan93

    Dan93 Valued Member

    Still sad for it to survive this long only to be pryed up in the name of science, and I wonder to what ends, longevity studies? no idea.
    guess it can be put down to typical human arrogance that we can kill and take what we want as everything belongs to us.

    Just a clam....tell it to the clam....

    We are a cancer on the planet..
     
  6. Blade96

    Blade96 shotokan karateka

    Holy it still is a living being. I'm not all that fussy about clams (like human babies) but it still upset me. I'd feel the same way if someone mistreated any living being.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Nov 17, 2013
  7. holyheadjch

    holyheadjch Valued Member

    Sometimes I hate my species...
     
  8. holyheadjch

    holyheadjch Valued Member

    So you're vegetarian?

    The scientists weren't trying to kill the clam, it was an accident that occurred as part of the experiment. It happens and I'm sure no one is as gutted as much as the research team at Bangor who have lost an invaluable research asset.
     
  9. Simon

    Simon Administrator Admin Supporter MAP 2017 Koyo Award

    MOD Warning. Don't drag up this old argument again.

    Move on.
     
  10. Blade96

    Blade96 shotokan karateka

    what's vegetarian got to do with anything? Eating meat doesn't mean you don't respect all the beings. The natives always understood this. They believed that if you mistreat the earth you will upset the earth and animal spirits.

    and yes I understand that the scientists were most likely floored. Scientists have feelings too. The story was still sad though.
     
  11. holyheadjch

    holyheadjch Valued Member

    I just don't see how it is consistent to believe eating animals is ok, but it's not ok to use animals to further scientific knowledge, especially when that knowledge can be used to further medical science.
     
  12. Blade96

    Blade96 shotokan karateka

    I'm not against in many cases. They found insulin by experimenting on dogs for example. And that has helped save the lives of millions with diabetes, both human and nonhuman. That's just one example.

    I do not believe that a person has to give up meat entirely otherwise you are akin to the devil's juice, animal abuse, or something of the kind, as a lot of vegetarians believe. I think they're crazy, to be honest.
     
  13. Southpaw535

    Southpaw535 Well-Known Member Moderator Supporter

    I still think its sad it died. A clam doesn't register high on the things I care about but, even as an accident, its still a shame something so old died. Like the 200 odd year old giant turtle. Its a turtle, but its still a shame to lose something thats been a part of the world, however insignificantly, for so long
     
  14. Blade96

    Blade96 shotokan karateka

    That said, as I said, Scientists do have feelings. The scientists in the US still won't tell anyone where the bristlecone pine tree called Methuselah is, because they know full well what many members of their species are like. So yes, I know, there are many good people out there as well.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methuselah_(tree)
     
    Last edited: Nov 16, 2013
  15. Johnno

    Johnno Valued Member

    I find it extremely sad that they feel it necessary to conceal the location of the tree for fear that people will vandalise it. There are a lot of human beings whose lives are worth less than that of a clam, quite frankly, such as anyone who would vandalise an ancient tree to make themselves feel 'important' or whatever.
     
    Last edited: Nov 18, 2013
  16. Alansmurf

    Alansmurf Aspire to Inspire before you Expire Supporter

    Clam up Danster.
     
  17. Ero-Sennin

    Ero-Sennin Well-Known Member Supporter

    I always find sentiment like this strange. Why is it human arrogance? We evolved to be the way we are because it best suited us for survival. If we are a cancer to the world then we should take care of it only as a means for our own existence. We create, we destroy, we harness what is around us. Everything is a means to our disposal and we must act in a way to keep those means around as long as possible, for our sake.

    Everything lives and everything dies. Are you mad at the otters who have probably destroyed thousands of ancient clams for dinner, or the beavers who destroyed ancient trees for a dam? We do what is in our nature, nothing to be ashamed of. It's only a shame if we cheat ourselves out of a future because we used resources up too quickly in my opinion.
     
  18. Johnno

    Johnno Valued Member

    I think the big difference is that other animals generaly only kill or destroy what they need in order to survive. Whereas we as a species do an awful lot of killing and destroying for trivial reasons. And other animals don't destroy the environment that they rely on for survival, like we are busy doing.
     
  19. Ero-Sennin

    Ero-Sennin Well-Known Member Supporter

    Who says what we do isn't necessary for the development of a species with our intelligence level? Not like we have a bunch of other sentient species around to base a judgment off of. I think you would get a lot more done saying, "look guys, if we destroy all this stuff it'll have backlash on our own quality of life/existence" vs. "woe is us, the cancer of the earth destroying that which is sacred. We should all die for our transgressions!" (hyperbole included in that, not directing that at anyone posting here).

    You learn from your mistakes, that applies on a large and small scale, individual and collective. Now if you want to talk about mistakes that are near impossible to correct, that has more to do with politics and individuals in power than it does the human race as a whole. ::raises glass:: Here's to the next great revolution that hopefully puts us on a more progressive path, especially if it makes us a space faring species.
     
  20. Smitfire

    Smitfire Cactus Schlong

    That's not strictly true Johnno. Loads of animals destroy their environment, overly predate prey animals or over eat a resource they rely on.
    Elephants for example fell trees and destroy large swathes of foliage and then leave perfectly edible food to rot.
    The difference is that they do so mindlessly and if they do it too much they simply die off and allow the damage to be restored.
    There are natural checks and balances in the natural world the humans have bypassed.
     

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