Save the Polar Bears, Save the World?
i guess that i am what you can call an environmentalist, or at least a mild one. i believe in reducing, reusing and recycling. i believe in and practice buying locally. Each and every day i make an effort to reduce my waste and consumption. i am concerned with global warming and all of that jazz, i promise i am.
But the plight of the billions of people in the world who struggle to acquire the basic necessities of survival like food, clean water and shelter is an even greater concern. That’s why i find the WWF’s Climate Change campaign so ridiculous and disturbing. Whenever one of those damned commercials comes on TV, i cringe.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMLJD-mantE
All of the hunger and devastation in the world and they want me to donate money to save some polar bears?
Get the fuck outta here with that bullshit.
Polar bears. We’re talking about polar bears. People in Haiti are eating dirt cookies but you want me to save the polar bears.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wHiYkcm-Ro
Polar bears. Over a billion people in the world don’t have access to clean water but you want me to send you money to save the polar bears.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEnlrE4iMBU
Polar bears. Billions of people are living on less than $2 a day but you want me to send you $16 for a picture of a polar bear.
Don’t get me wrong here. i understand that climate change is an issue that affects humans and non-human animals alike but the polar bears aren’t the only ones suffering from a planet in peril. Food is becoming scarce all over the world. People are hanging on for survival. People are dying every day. We can help change that by donating food to our nearest shelters or donating time and money to nonprofit organizations that are bringing clean water and food to the under-underprivileged people around the world. Hell, buy a cheeseburger for the man that sleeps on the streets every night.
Maybe it’s wrong but i don’t understand the appeal of saving polar bears when there are people in peril all around me.
I hear you tamara.I must say your post made me giggle because I can see myself screaming at the TV every time of those save the animal commercials come on. I care about the environment too, but every time a “save the polar bear” or any P.E.T.A. commercial comes on I find a part of myself saying out loud,” people care more about animals then actual people.”
I hear you tamara.I must say your post made me giggle because I can see myself screaming at the TV every time of those save the animal commercials come on. I care about the environment too, but every time a “save the polar bear” or any P.E.T.A. commercial comes on I find a part of myself saying out loud,” people care more about animals then actual people.”
you totally don’t get it. if we don’t save the polar bears how can they possibly air that coca cola commercial at christmas? you know the one where the baby polar bear meets the penguins? it’s totally cute, cuddly–and necessary.
all jokes aside, in a sense, i do agree with you. i think this stuff is all connected, and that we really need perspective when it comes to combating the world’s ills. if some of us were just a little more mindful, less gluttonous and greedy, and more giving, i think many more folks in this world would be able to eat and have clean drinking water, and the polar bears could share a coke and a smile with the penguins. when i see these commercials, i do pause and wonder what compels a person to save a polar bear, but not want to also help her fellow human.
that said, how much money could they have given to either cause had they not paid for the commercial and a celebrity endorsement?
you totally don’t get it. if we don’t save the polar bears how can they possibly air that coca cola commercial at christmas? you know the one where the baby polar bear meets the penguins? it’s totally cute, cuddly–and necessary.
all jokes aside, in a sense, i do agree with you. i think this stuff is all connected, and that we really need perspective when it comes to combating the world’s ills. if some of us were just a little more mindful, less gluttonous and greedy, and more giving, i think many more folks in this world would be able to eat and have clean drinking water, and the polar bears could share a coke and a smile with the penguins. when i see these commercials, i do pause and wonder what compels a person to save a polar bear, but not want to also help her fellow human.
that said, how much money could they have given to either cause had they not paid for the commercial and a celebrity endorsement?
Hi tamara,
So what do you proposed is the preferable way to talk about the extinction of species and their natural habitate? How do you proposed that people who are motivated to tackle these pressing issues do so (without affronting folks ONLY concerned about humanity)?
Why is it problematic to have a passion for saving the animal kingdom? Why do many folks (particularly people of color) paint citizens who are environmental and animal conscious with suck a “black brush” by suggesting this people aren’t concerned with people?
“Ultimately, I think animal and human life are valuable and have values that are independent as well as in relationship to each other. The problem with your statement[/sentiment] is that it creates a zero-sum analysis. I think such zero-sum analyses are often times used to speciously discount a valuable argument. Zero-sum analyses are very unrewarding, because they leave little room for developing a “mutual understanding.””
Hi tamara,
So what do you proposed is the preferable way to talk about the extinction of species and their natural habitate? How do you proposed that people who are motivated to tackle these pressing issues do so (without affronting folks ONLY concerned about humanity)?
Why is it problematic to have a passion for saving the animal kingdom? Why do many folks (particularly people of color) paint citizens who are environmental and animal conscious with suck a “black brush” by suggesting this people aren’t concerned with people?
“Ultimately, I think animal and human life are valuable and have values that are independent as well as in relationship to each other. The problem with your statement[/sentiment] is that it creates a zero-sum analysis. I think such zero-sum analyses are often times used to speciously discount a valuable argument. Zero-sum analyses are very unrewarding, because they leave little room for developing a “mutual understanding.””
habitat..my mistake.
habitat..my mistake.
@Fallon ”people care more about animals then actual people.” That is exactly the issue that i have. Glad you feel me.
@Summer haha! how could i forget the coke commercials?!
On a serious note, both of you touched on what i think is a critical point. What compels a person to help non-human animals before they’d extend the same help to humans? How much could we improve the conditions of both human and non-human animals by treating all beings with the same love and respect? What i hate most about these commercials is that they only point to one side of the story. We are struggling just as much as polar bears when it comes to losing habitats, struggling to find nourishment, etc.
@Fallon ”people care more about animals then actual people.” That is exactly the issue that i have. Glad you feel me.
@Summer haha! how could i forget the coke commercials?!
On a serious note, both of you touched on what i think is a critical point. What compels a person to help non-human animals before they’d extend the same help to humans? How much could we improve the conditions of both human and non-human animals by treating all beings with the same love and respect? What i hate most about these commercials is that they only point to one side of the story. We are struggling just as much as polar bears when it comes to losing habitats, struggling to find nourishment, etc.
Hi Supernerd,
i propose that we speak of all beings as animals who are facing dire conditions. i will be the first to admit that humans need to accept responsibility for the damage we have done to the environment. i’ve always viewed this issue as a problem of other minds. perhaps i can empathize with other humans in a way that i can’t empathize with non human animals because as a human, i have a better understanding of human suffering.
part of this issue is an issue of misunderstanding. You assumed that i found it problematic for others to be concerned with animals and that i somehow suggested that concern for non human animals and concern for humans was mutually exclusive. What i posted was a personal response to the situation. i don’t think that there is anything wrong with being concerned with non-human animals or the environment, as i am concerned with both. what i find problematic is that the stories about the human animals who are struggling to find proper nourishment go relatively unheard but there’s a polar bear commercial on television at every turn.
i think people of color have issues with the animal rights activists because they see people appointing themselves as guardians of animal rights but for centuries we have been treated like animals and not seen any commercials honoring our struggle.
Hi Supernerd,
i propose that we speak of all beings as animals who are facing dire conditions. i will be the first to admit that humans need to accept responsibility for the damage we have done to the environment. i’ve always viewed this issue as a problem of other minds. perhaps i can empathize with other humans in a way that i can’t empathize with non human animals because as a human, i have a better understanding of human suffering.
part of this issue is an issue of misunderstanding. You assumed that i found it problematic for others to be concerned with animals and that i somehow suggested that concern for non human animals and concern for humans was mutually exclusive. What i posted was a personal response to the situation. i don’t think that there is anything wrong with being concerned with non-human animals or the environment, as i am concerned with both. what i find problematic is that the stories about the human animals who are struggling to find proper nourishment go relatively unheard but there’s a polar bear commercial on television at every turn.
i think people of color have issues with the animal rights activists because they see people appointing themselves as guardians of animal rights but for centuries we have been treated like animals and not seen any commercials honoring our struggle.
actually, i’d like to recant that statement about people of color. i know plenty people of color who ride for animals and i don’t want to do them any disservice.
actually, i’d like to recant that statement about people of color. i know plenty people of color who ride for animals and i don’t want to do them any disservice.