I love this reflection that “I have come to believe that individual actions matter most to the individuals who act them” - that feels especially true for me in terms of my practices of waste reduction.
Yet also while those small actions might not make any real difference in the larger scheme of human environmental impact, I do personally still believe they matter in a way that extends beyond (and through) their mattering to the individuals performing aligned actions.
I think there is a kind of energetic imprint in the how and why of what we do that ripples out when we connect and live our values; when we are mindful of our impact, motivated by love rather than shame and perfectionism, we are showing the earth and our fellow humans that we can be conscious beings who belong in the fabric of life.
One thing I think that is really interesting and nuanced in this wider topic of our relationship to the natural world is that I no longer personally think that the “right thing” for us humans to do is to avoid causing suffering at all costs (ie: not kill fish) and try to have as little impact on the earth as we can - In fact, I think that the impulse to take this position comes from the same kind of thinking that allows us to exploit the earth - a worldview in which humans are inherently separate from, and better than, the rest of the fabric of life.
From listening to (mostly Native American and Aboriginal) Indigenous perspectives, I have come to believe that it is possible for humans to hunt, fish, and harvest in ways that honor, and in fact support, the web of life we are also fed by.
I ofter this to ask if these perspectives might shift your thinking around what you might do in a similar future moment.
Is the individual action you could do that would matter most, saying something to the man about the fish being able to suffer? Or is it starting a conversation with the man about how he relates to taking the lives of sentient beings? Or perhaps sitting with the fish for a moment longer to feel and hold the loss present in the transformation of the fish passing on to feed another life form?
…
Just wanted to take some time to share the reflections coming up for me in response to your beautiful, heartfelt writing! I love what you’re doing here - inspiring, potent, turning all our gears!
Thank you Lux, your reflection has given me so much to ponder!
With regard to the fish, it was the needless aspect of the fish suffering that feels most salient. I don't feel it's my place to say that someone shouldn't fish. It might be my authentic individual action to suggest that the fish does feel pain, and to ask if ending the suffering of a fish more quickly might be better both for the fish and the person eating it.
I have come to believe for myself that when I ingest an animal that has lived and/or died in way that involves unnecessary suffering, I ingest all of that pain, and it has an effect on my heart, in addition to my physical body.
I've known for a long time that I've given myself permission to be outraged in private, to yell at the TV and shout at the top of my lungs about other peoples behavior that I find abhorrent - but to be silent in public. I've taken baby steps to ease into being authentic and more public in my outrage, mostly thanks to you, Julie, and your people. You make me a better person, not best, but better. It's a process :) and I've been yelling in private for a long time now.
Thank you for sharing Vicki, those were some very real words. I am fighting the urge to withdraw these days, and appreciate your gentle approach with yourself. Yelling in private is also important sometimes :) and yes, it is all a very long process.
Julie - I totally get it. We want to speak up, to enlighten, but it's hard to know our boundaries. And the world is so crazy, we don't know when we are putting ourselves in danger. I was at my hairdresser's and the woman in her chair was spewing all kinds of false Fox "News" conspiracies. I wanted to speak up, but she was my hairdresser's client - her livelihood. Is it my place to interfere? Should I be quiet and let this stranger go on thinking these untruths? Can I change her mind or her behavior? I sat there for 15 minutes pondering and ultimately said nothing. But I gave it all to my hairdresser when she left. Poor woman had to hear my rant. Any way, it's a damned if you do/damned if you don't situation.
Last week I sat with my mother to look at old photos, and there was an old picture of my dad, since deceased, holding and pondering a large trout he had caught at Lake Tahoe. Biggest fish he ever caught. He loved to fish his whole life. We ate that fish. But my mom said he was so sad about killing it that he never fished again. (This is from Mark)
Oh this story and that beautiful picture hurts my heart. The yellow eye staring at you. Augh. You bring up so many tough realities and definitely easy to follow the path to giving up on humanity. But then, from where I sit (privileged to be surrounded by kids, the best humans around) there's a lot of hope. For me, the question is how does a society hold on to, and spark, that natural compassion? How can it be bottled up for good? Just glad I don't work for Team Adults, like you, I'm so disappointed with far too many. Thanks Julie for sharing your experience, it really got to me, and lots to think about. Miss you and your awesomeness my friend!
When it comes to adults, yes, I am disappointed in a lot of people, especially many or most of those with great power and privilege. At the same time, I feel a sort of acceptance more than angst somehow about the imperfections and complexities of humans being human, and of the systemic challenges of our time like the outsized role of money in politics, misplaced incentives in media environments, you know, little things like that!
Thanks Julies, yeah, augh, and the video of said fish is really hard.
I learned so much about collective action from you and during my precious time with Team Kids! I really miss having kids in my life. Especially now that the twins moved away... young children offer another energy and frankly, another way of being in the world that I am seeking out in my life again.
Is that the picture of the fish in the story? The colours are amazing.
"given the inflexibility of the systems we’ve created" ... I think a lot about how much of the mess we are in is due to the system and how much is due to the sum of individual actions and how much is due to the abuse of corporate power ...
I love this reflection that “I have come to believe that individual actions matter most to the individuals who act them” - that feels especially true for me in terms of my practices of waste reduction.
Yet also while those small actions might not make any real difference in the larger scheme of human environmental impact, I do personally still believe they matter in a way that extends beyond (and through) their mattering to the individuals performing aligned actions.
I think there is a kind of energetic imprint in the how and why of what we do that ripples out when we connect and live our values; when we are mindful of our impact, motivated by love rather than shame and perfectionism, we are showing the earth and our fellow humans that we can be conscious beings who belong in the fabric of life.
One thing I think that is really interesting and nuanced in this wider topic of our relationship to the natural world is that I no longer personally think that the “right thing” for us humans to do is to avoid causing suffering at all costs (ie: not kill fish) and try to have as little impact on the earth as we can - In fact, I think that the impulse to take this position comes from the same kind of thinking that allows us to exploit the earth - a worldview in which humans are inherently separate from, and better than, the rest of the fabric of life.
From listening to (mostly Native American and Aboriginal) Indigenous perspectives, I have come to believe that it is possible for humans to hunt, fish, and harvest in ways that honor, and in fact support, the web of life we are also fed by.
I ofter this to ask if these perspectives might shift your thinking around what you might do in a similar future moment.
Is the individual action you could do that would matter most, saying something to the man about the fish being able to suffer? Or is it starting a conversation with the man about how he relates to taking the lives of sentient beings? Or perhaps sitting with the fish for a moment longer to feel and hold the loss present in the transformation of the fish passing on to feed another life form?
…
Just wanted to take some time to share the reflections coming up for me in response to your beautiful, heartfelt writing! I love what you’re doing here - inspiring, potent, turning all our gears!
Thank you Lux, your reflection has given me so much to ponder!
With regard to the fish, it was the needless aspect of the fish suffering that feels most salient. I don't feel it's my place to say that someone shouldn't fish. It might be my authentic individual action to suggest that the fish does feel pain, and to ask if ending the suffering of a fish more quickly might be better both for the fish and the person eating it.
I have come to believe for myself that when I ingest an animal that has lived and/or died in way that involves unnecessary suffering, I ingest all of that pain, and it has an effect on my heart, in addition to my physical body.
I've known for a long time that I've given myself permission to be outraged in private, to yell at the TV and shout at the top of my lungs about other peoples behavior that I find abhorrent - but to be silent in public. I've taken baby steps to ease into being authentic and more public in my outrage, mostly thanks to you, Julie, and your people. You make me a better person, not best, but better. It's a process :) and I've been yelling in private for a long time now.
Thank you for sharing Vicki, those were some very real words. I am fighting the urge to withdraw these days, and appreciate your gentle approach with yourself. Yelling in private is also important sometimes :) and yes, it is all a very long process.
Julie - I totally get it. We want to speak up, to enlighten, but it's hard to know our boundaries. And the world is so crazy, we don't know when we are putting ourselves in danger. I was at my hairdresser's and the woman in her chair was spewing all kinds of false Fox "News" conspiracies. I wanted to speak up, but she was my hairdresser's client - her livelihood. Is it my place to interfere? Should I be quiet and let this stranger go on thinking these untruths? Can I change her mind or her behavior? I sat there for 15 minutes pondering and ultimately said nothing. But I gave it all to my hairdresser when she left. Poor woman had to hear my rant. Any way, it's a damned if you do/damned if you don't situation.
Yes! You hit the nail on the head Joyce, "damned if you do, damned if you don't!" Totally!
Last week I sat with my mother to look at old photos, and there was an old picture of my dad, since deceased, holding and pondering a large trout he had caught at Lake Tahoe. Biggest fish he ever caught. He loved to fish his whole life. We ate that fish. But my mom said he was so sad about killing it that he never fished again. (This is from Mark)
whoa! that is a powerful story Mark, thank you for sharing it!
Oh this story and that beautiful picture hurts my heart. The yellow eye staring at you. Augh. You bring up so many tough realities and definitely easy to follow the path to giving up on humanity. But then, from where I sit (privileged to be surrounded by kids, the best humans around) there's a lot of hope. For me, the question is how does a society hold on to, and spark, that natural compassion? How can it be bottled up for good? Just glad I don't work for Team Adults, like you, I'm so disappointed with far too many. Thanks Julie for sharing your experience, it really got to me, and lots to think about. Miss you and your awesomeness my friend!
When it comes to adults, yes, I am disappointed in a lot of people, especially many or most of those with great power and privilege. At the same time, I feel a sort of acceptance more than angst somehow about the imperfections and complexities of humans being human, and of the systemic challenges of our time like the outsized role of money in politics, misplaced incentives in media environments, you know, little things like that!
Thanks Julies, yeah, augh, and the video of said fish is really hard.
I learned so much about collective action from you and during my precious time with Team Kids! I really miss having kids in my life. Especially now that the twins moved away... young children offer another energy and frankly, another way of being in the world that I am seeking out in my life again.
Is that the picture of the fish in the story? The colours are amazing.
"given the inflexibility of the systems we’ve created" ... I think a lot about how much of the mess we are in is due to the system and how much is due to the sum of individual actions and how much is due to the abuse of corporate power ...
...I'm with you... and how much is due to the way the human brain operates....and yes, that is said fish.