| Being It (2) |
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The last time I swatted a fly, I was once more overcome by doubts concerning the legitimacy of what I had just done. As ever, the thought cropped up that the victim had been such an intricate creature, and one which in all its minuteness and complexity had now been irreparably maimed or killed as a result of having been swatted. Almost simultaneously, however, this time the thought forced itself to the forefront that in so far as one regards eating as an act of survival, this makes other measures contributing to the continuation of one's existence justified as well. Put differently, swatting is more or less the same as eating in specific circumstances. Ever since the National Geographic Channel has been available on cable, we can empathise night after night with young cheetahs that would never make it if they were forbidden to tear up cuddly little antelope or zebras. Which in a way takes the edge off the fly thing, although that's beside the point.
In the wild, death is a condition whose coefficients cannot and may not be set by those who are on the receiving end. Look at your employment conditions from this angle and you won't have too much to complain about, although that too is beside the point. It dawned on me that perhaps our limitation isn't so much to do with the intellect we think we need for understanding our existence but rather, with the control mechanisms that can be used to ensure that we take such information as we have compiled into consideration when weighing up our interests. If it is indeed true that such power of reason as we have at our disposal is sufficient for formulating an alternative which boils down to a choice between giving priority to selected forms of life and granting equal rights to exist to all forms of life across the board - which in fact amounts to war as per contract, food being one of life's bare necessities - then the answer to the question as to whether it's acceptable for me to swat flies would be yes in either case, although the fly in question would opt for an entirely different route. |