And if the answer is yes, then why are we working so hard to achieve exactly that?
The graphic in a previous post shows how different species will gradually disappear (or not so gradually given that nearly 1000 species have gone extinct in the past 500 years already) if we don't change our ways soon. Because while past mass extinctions occurred primarily due to natural causes, one species in large part is causing the current ecosystem crisis. Poaching, habitat destruction, global warming and excessive use of water (even if you're not ethically opposed to eating other animals, from a water use point of view alone animal agriculture needs to be scraped off our plates already) all contribute to the demise of fellow species.
Now let's say you actually don't care about other species dying off and are only concerned with human survival. Then wouldn't it be ironic if the species thought to be the most intelligent became extinct due to its own stupidity? Because that's exactly the driving force (that, and greed) threatening to drive us off this planet.
What's fascinating though is that while other species could function just fine or even better without Homo sapiens, our species is fragile enough that our very existence depends on the beings we consider vastly inferior to ourselves. Like bees. And bats. Imagine that! We need bees and bats (among others) to survive, so perhaps it's time to put aside our smug superiority complex and realize we're not only risking the extinction of other species, but of ourselves as well. Let's be clear: humans need this earth if they want to survive, Earth does not need us.
Going back to the title question, I have to admit there are times when I feel human extinction would be an overall gain for the rest of the species co-habiting our lovely planet. That sentiment could certainly be construed as misanthropic, but our species is so anthropocentric that overall we don't seem to give a damn about how much cruelty and death we inflict on others, and on darker days I feel it would serve us exactly right to get a taste of our own bitter medicine. So, let's get our collective act together and behave in ways that would make human extinction a true tragedy for all species. Agreed?
Note: Watched the 2007 documentary The 11th Hour after drafting this post, and even though the many experts offered excellent ideas, it was striking that none of them mentioned animal consumption. To be fair there were two images of factory farming in the film, but no one actually said, let's stop eating animals. Disappointing, but not surprising. Guess I'll have to watch Cowspiracy for that!
I second your statement: "So, let's get our collective act together and behave in ways that would make human extinction a true tragedy for all species." I'm sort of wobbly about whether that's anywhere on the horizon though.
I would urge some consideration of whether the issue of human driven planetary destruction isn't more properly attributed to human societies infected by western European colonial/capitalist mindsets and dynamics. For instance the destruction of the Amazon rainforest isn't being implemented by the human tribes indigenous to that area...rather it is being driven by those humans infected with the western European mindset seeking "profit" by clearing the rainforest for animal agriculture. If I look around the globe...most (not all, but most) locales where environmental destruction is horrendous are those where the colonial view of mother Earth as a "resource" holds sway.
That way of destructive thinking about mother Earth and her Earthlings is not ubiquitous...it is endemic to western European ideologically infected cultures. I'm starting to wonder if I don't paint with too broad a brush if I am repulsed by all human animals. Maybe I would be wiser to focus on the most virulent (in terms of destructiveness) of human cultural groupings...that of the western European ilk.
I wonder about that...more and more.
Your observation about the documentary "The 11th Hour" is reminiscent of my previous observation about books which purport to be about concern or "truths" about our sister/brother Earthlings but avoid embracing and/or encouraging the vegan philosophy...well...whether book or documentary...they end up sounding sort of stupid and deluded.
In the end, I wonder how effective it might be in terms of halting the awfulness, to appeal to "self-interest", when that very same self-interest dynamic seems to be what is creating the problem in the first place. Seems paradoxical, eh? To appeal to narcissistic interests to interrupt narcissistic driven behaviors....almost sounds like trying to solve a problem with the same kind of thinking that created the problem...doesn't it?
I have to agree with you: humans are without question the worst thing that has ever happened to this planet. We have done nothing that has improved it one iota. (I figure my misanthropy balances the anthropocentrism of the majority.) Extinction of our species would be the best thing for every other species.
Hi Friend,
Wouldn't ya know it: My most recent post is penned by a veganic farming friend of mine who presented some pretty scare statistics about our water and land usage in non human animal agriculture.
It takes one acre of land to feed 156 people an eight ounce portion of cooked flesh. The same acre of land will feed 14,600 people the same size portion of beans and rice. It takes 100 gallons of water to produce 4 ounces of dried rice and beans and a whopping 1085 gallons to produce 10 ounces of raw ground beef.
I have often said to people that the earth has no real use for humans and that we are destroying it at an alarming rate - all for the almighty dollar, for status, for power and because we can.
I have to agree with veganelder that western imperialism is largely responsible for this decline. Indigenous peoples lived side by side with nature for centuries
We are guilty of living unconsciously and grossly overestimating our value to mother earth and other species.
I have a vested interest in wanting humans to survive the holocaust we are creating for ourselves, other than that of eliminating the human induced suffering of other species. Simply put, I would like my children and especially my grandchildren to carry on and live in a world of which we all could be proud- a world of kindness, compassion and respect.
Cowspiracy is a fantastic doc that that everyone needs to see and to consider. Log onto my website and comment on my post "Answering the Question, "Why Are you vegan?'. I am having a Giveaway. If you win an would like to receive this doc, let me know.
Take care,
Respectfully,
Anne
This is such a great post! I'm getting over the worst flu I've had in years and still not up to par so my comment won't do it justice. It's something I think about a lot, how much different (better) life would be for other species if we'd never been here. I'm not sure what would happen to the unfortunate ones we've forced to become dependent on us....they'd most likely survive in small numbers from their captivity situations and then once free, re-establish themselves. Our species as a whole is so arrogant. And I used to like to give the benefit of the doubt and think it's largely ignorance, which some of it is, but we truly are so ridiculous as to believe that we're "above" bees and bats to use the examples you've given.
I got this link inside a newsletter I got a few weeks ago, can't remember which group, but it's interesting and on topic so I hope it's ok to add it here. I'll look into Cowspiracy, but have a feeling it might be one of the ones that knocks me down emotionally. ... But yep, I think it would serve our species as a whole right also to find out what it's like to suffer the fates we've subjected so many others to even though there are individuals who I don't want to suffer, but....ours is the one species that can honestly be said about, whatever happens to us, our fate...we deserve.
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/jun/21/mass-extinction-science-warning