By P Mohan Chandran
Why do we, as humans, believe that the world revolves around us? Why do we think that every resource, every creature, every element of nature exists solely for our benefit? Is it arrogance, ignorance, or a lethal combination of both? As we delve into the depths of human behavior, it becomes evident that our species, for all its intelligence and achievements, might just be the most destructive inhabitants of this planet.
Elephants, majestic and gentle giants, have roamed the Earth for millions of years. Yet, in the hands of humans, they are reduced to mere props for parades and temple festivals. Their tusks, a symbol of their grandeur, are brutally taken from them to satisfy our insatiable greed for ivory. And it doesn't end there. Monkeys, who share a significant portion of our DNA, are made to dance, perform, and beg in the streets of India, their natural habitats destroyed and their freedom stolen.
Dogs, often hailed as man's best friend, are trained and used as tools to sniff out threats, their lives put on the line for our safety. The cows, providers of nourishment, are subjected to machines that cause them immense pain, all for the sake of maximizing milk production. Hens are forced into a life of constant reproduction, their bodies manipulated to produce more eggs than nature intended. The list goes on – from fishes to tigers to honey bees, every creature faces the wrath of human exploitation.
But our exploitation isn't limited to the animal kingdom. We've turned our planet into a quarry, mining its resources without a second thought for the consequences. Sand, coal, minerals – nothing is safe from our relentless pursuit of wealth. Even faith, something so personal and sacred, has been commercialized. Temples, churches, and mosques, meant to be places of worship, have become profit-making enterprises, capitalizing on the devotion of the masses.
Perhaps the most tragic of all is our exploitation of our own kind. Corporations taking advantage of their employees, politicians manipulating their voters, educational institutions turning knowledge into a business – the examples are endless. And as if exploiting each other wasn't enough, we've devised a myriad of taxes, each more perplexing than the last, further burdening the common man.
Nature, in its infinite wisdom, has always strived for balance. Trees provide oxygen, rivers nurture lands, and animals maintain the ecosystem. But humans? We've disrupted this balance. We cut down forests, pollute rivers, and hunt animals to extinction. And while some argue that natural disasters are nature's way of restoring balance, can we really blame the Earth for trying to heal itself?
So, we return to our initial questions: Why do we believe we're the center of the universe? Why do we think everything exists for our benefit? And more importantly, when will we realize the error of our ways? When will we learn to coexist, to respect, to love? Until we find the answers, nature will continue to send its reminders, hoping that one day, we'll understand.
Are we truly the dominant species, or are we just the most destructive? When will we wake up to the reality of our actions? And most importantly, when will we change?
Do you agree that humans are the most destructive of all species on Earth?
A. Yes, humans have exploited every resource on earth.
B. No, humans are grossly misunderstood.
© 2023. P Mohan Chandran. All Rights Reserved.
20072023
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