A group of stray dogs attended the funeral of a woman who regularly fed them, Margarita Suarez, from Merida, Mexico.
The animals began to arrive at the funeral home where her body was being kept, and on the day of Suarez' funeral, the dogs followed behind the hearse, and even returned to the funeral home, only leaving when her body was prepared for cremation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQsYJtsg5JU
Darn, I was hoping the video would show more than that. But... I believe it. There are some people that think animals do not have consciousness, souls, thoughts, feelings... I could go on. Descartes, Newton, Darwin helped to remove the consciousness element from life, theorizing all is just part of the machine (and you know people love to adopt theories as absolute truth). Yesterday I started reading The Bond by Lynn McTaggart. From the Intro (pg xxvi):
"[M]ost of us in the developed world are not living in harmony with our true nature. That we are constantly affecting and being affected by all matter in a constant and ever evolving Bond demands a drastic change in the way we relate to ourselves and all other living beings."
Now that's what I'm talking about!
Does this dog not have compassion? This is not typical animal behavior -- or is it?
https://youtu.be/0cz2_vCoGHE
Great progress is afoot!
http://earthweareone.com/scientists-sign-declaration-that-animals-have-conscious-awareness-just-like-humans/
Thanks for that news break. :) My Gawd, isn't it a sad state of affairs that we need an official "declaration" proclaiming the consciousness of animals? All the proof anyone needs will come from spending some time with one. I suppose that's the way things work with humanity, first a declaration then there will be laws set in place. The end result is all that matters.
It was nice seeing Alex and Dr. Pepperberg in the article. Have you seen the videos of them working together? Alex was extraordinary, understanding color, shapes, numbers... even the concept of zero. I read Alex and Me a few years ago, it's pretty amazing. I've had two African Greys for 10 years now, there's no question about them having emotions, thoughts, even a sense of humor. They will make up their own words, mixing words they know into some pretty astute new combinations or abbreviations to communicate what they want.
Have you come across the topic here, Meat or not to meat? (https://speakingofseth.com/index.php?topic=28)
?
Until very recently, upon the advent of MRI technology, the popular theory was that animals didn't experience EMOTION!!--that our reading of emotions into them was anthropomorphic, only.
Thusly, since animals had no feelings or consciousness, it was okay to experiment on them, even while alive.
For some reason PAIN was not considered... Things are slowly changing, TG.
They considered that animals, not having consciousness, did not actually FEEL pain--even though they appeared to, this was dismissed. It is bizarre to see people so disconnected from the reality of their being that their beliefs allow them to ignore their inflicting of pain on a being--because it is for the "greater good".
Umm, just whose greater good is being addressed, here? Surely not that of the "onco-mouse", a mouse designed, genetically, to easily get cancer so as to test cancer drugs, eg.
Quote from: Toronto Sethian on March 31, 2015, 09:58:00 AMUmm, just whose greater good is being addressed, here? Surely not that of the "onco-mouse", a mouse designed, genetically, to easily get cancer so as to test cancer drugs, eg.
Yes, I try not to think about what they're doing with lab animals, cosmetic testing, etc. I see some of what goes on and dwelling on it can really throw me into a tailspin.
Knowing that there are no "victims," with the thought that those animals on some level have volunteered to participate, does not help. There may be no death, but I have yet to read anything by Seth that says pain and suffering are not real. And of course if I focus my attention on the crimes, I'm just perpetuating them--even becoming an unwilling and unknowing participant.
Feeling a bit Debbie Downer here...
How you focus determines whether you change or perpetuate--
I spread the word about animal rights or violations but, also, I spread the word mentally. I see the understandings I have re: animals, that they are conscious, etc. go out into the world. Thoughts are things. :)
"Like"
"The more we do experiments like this, the more we wonder if we should do experiments like this." But, he adds, if we want to study pain and pain treatments, "there is no alternative. Tissue cultures and computer simulations won't work. We must do animal experiments, as we will never get ethical approval to do these tests on humans."
http://news.sciencemag.org/biology/2015/03/rats-see-pain-other-rats-faces (http://news.sciencemag.org/biology/2015/03/rats-see-pain-other-rats-faces)
That is predicated on the beliefs held, of course.
It assumes, without proof, that the way to solve disease is external.
If allotpathic methods worked so well, this discussion would not be taking place!
Quote from: Toronto Sethian on April 02, 2015, 05:42:26 PMIf allotpathic methods worked so well, this discussion would not be taking place!
So true! It's exciting for me that at least
some professionals (of various disciplines
and with a public reach) recognize the power of the mind and see disease as a metaphor--and are spreading the word.
Hopefully I'll live long enough to see some real progress. Although knowing that we are turning the corner is enough to make me happy for now. Western medicine is going to put up quite a fight though. It will be interesting to sit back and watch the fireworks.
They will follow the money. It could all shift quite quickly.
As Seth says, change is hard but when the time is right, it happens very quickly. :)
Quote from: Toronto Sethian on April 03, 2015, 10:26:19 AMThey will follow the money. It could all shift quite quickly.
True that. I've seen progress in certain areas already (organics), because of the money trail. Maybe greed can be used to an advantage. I've never thought of it in that way.
A Platonic scholar I once knew said that politics is the art of getting people to do the right thing for the wrong reasons, lol. :P
;D