general, response to those who condone hunting animals and those who find it inhumane ...
I tend to lean toward the North American Indians outlook on killing animals, which was for food, clothing and shelter. No part of the animal went to waste. At the same time they had a respect for animals and didn't see them as just part of a gratuitous sport or trophy. They believed in a blurred continuity or kinship between people and animals. However their understanding of the ecosystem wasn't that great in retrospect.
That is in contrast to the general outlook of the "new north american" philosophy that we are separated from them and superior. Being humans gives us power and control over other species, but I think we have a responsibility not to abuse that power. Viewing animals as an object of sport and entertainment is an abuse of our position of responsibility and brutalises society to-wards animals and nature.
I have mixed feelings on the hunting of animals. In essence if the prey is being killed for food it is entirely gratuitous. In modern society people do not need to kill food for themselves but can buy it from a source where animals have been killed humanely. That is assuming you call being born and raised in a state of deprived captivity humane.
It would be hypocritical of me to denounce all hunters with one wide brush as I, like most of us, get my meat all nicely prepackaged with pretty labels. My view on hunting boils down to the motivation. In a way the person who can look the animal in the eye and kill it rather than buy it from the supermarket with little thought that a life was taken is less of a hypocrite and should be worthy of more respect.
However, my experience with some people who like to hunt is that they are pretty thoughtless and it's more about their own ego and the macho bravado of their sport. I tend to "judge" them more on an individual basis, because they all have different outlooks motives and cultures, and many are conscientious on some level. I'm sure it takes some skill to track down an animal and kill it, but looking down the barrel of a gun at 50 paces and pulling a trigger seems none to brave or worthy of respect to me. Many animals people view as "game" would tear their assailant to shreds if confronted on their own terms. If we were to go back in time, before man in all his infinite wisdom invented guns ( or other weapons that lend distance between assailant and prey ), I could appreciate an individuals skill and resourcefulness at killing prey for survival.
I've "played" ( nothing more than a 22 ) with guns in the past, but never shot an animal. I remember it as being a rush, which is purely self indulgent. For some reason I've always felt akin to animals long before learning of Buddhism or the Indians outlook. Quiet possibly because I [de] evolved from animals.
I tend to lean toward the North American Indians outlook on killing animals, which was for food, clothing and shelter. No part of the animal went to waste. At the same time they had a respect for animals and didn't see them as just part of a gratuitous sport or trophy. They believed in a blurred continuity or kinship between people and animals. However their understanding of the ecosystem wasn't that great in retrospect.
That is in contrast to the general outlook of the "new north american" philosophy that we are separated from them and superior. Being humans gives us power and control over other species, but I think we have a responsibility not to abuse that power. Viewing animals as an object of sport and entertainment is an abuse of our position of responsibility and brutalises society to-wards animals and nature.
I have mixed feelings on the hunting of animals. In essence if the prey is being killed for food it is entirely gratuitous. In modern society people do not need to kill food for themselves but can buy it from a source where animals have been killed humanely. That is assuming you call being born and raised in a state of deprived captivity humane.
It would be hypocritical of me to denounce all hunters with one wide brush as I, like most of us, get my meat all nicely prepackaged with pretty labels. My view on hunting boils down to the motivation. In a way the person who can look the animal in the eye and kill it rather than buy it from the supermarket with little thought that a life was taken is less of a hypocrite and should be worthy of more respect.
However, my experience with some people who like to hunt is that they are pretty thoughtless and it's more about their own ego and the macho bravado of their sport. I tend to "judge" them more on an individual basis, because they all have different outlooks motives and cultures, and many are conscientious on some level. I'm sure it takes some skill to track down an animal and kill it, but looking down the barrel of a gun at 50 paces and pulling a trigger seems none to brave or worthy of respect to me. Many animals people view as "game" would tear their assailant to shreds if confronted on their own terms. If we were to go back in time, before man in all his infinite wisdom invented guns ( or other weapons that lend distance between assailant and prey ), I could appreciate an individuals skill and resourcefulness at killing prey for survival.
I've "played" ( nothing more than a 22 ) with guns in the past, but never shot an animal. I remember it as being a rush, which is purely self indulgent. For some reason I've always felt akin to animals long before learning of Buddhism or the Indians outlook. Quiet possibly because I [de] evolved from animals.
