Value of One Life

In today’s entertainment world, the cost of one life is not much.  Every second of every day, you can turn on the TV or scan movies and see someone blown away.   The higher the level of violence, the bigger the attraction, why?

We humans are the only species that kills each other for sport, or for pleasure, or for no reason at all, just because we can.  What then is the value of life?  Non human life is worth even less than human.  “Cruelty to animals” is against the law but not killing them, why not?

If we are going to move ahead in our level of “civilization,” we need to take many steps backwards to a time when animals and man were of equal value.  Yes, animals have always been part of the food chain, but they were blessed and thanked for their ultimate contribution.  The one killed and the consumer both realized the ultimate sacrifices made for man.

So again I ask, what is the value of one life?

Consider the honey bees; they are becoming extinct through interbreeding with the aggressive African bee.  In many regions, they no longer pollinate our corps to the degree they once did.  The world food supply had dwindled as a direct impact of this loss.  Humanity is dependent on a “lowly” bee.

Every time a human is killed, their death provides opportunity for growth; learning what not to do.  However, in our eye-for-an-eye -or more realistically, eye-for-a-hundred –eyes world- the only lesson is revenge.  We even have a TV show called “Revenge” and there was a spin off reality show “Revenge for Real.”  Both raise the glorification of manipulative payback to great heights, the more painful the retribution, the better.  If anyone gets caught in the way as collateral damage, well it just raises the entertainment factor. 

Why, what is the point?  So much pain has been heaped upon each other, over the period of the existence of man that it no longer has shock value; except that more is better.  Our spiral into self destruction and taking the rest of the animal and plant kingdoms with us has to stop, or at least slow down.

How do we do this, of course by recognizing the undeniable interconnection, direct linkage, of all sentient beings.  All religions of the world pay lip service to this reality.  All have rules that command against killing but why do so many adherents to the religions enjoy a “good who done it murder mystery” film or book?

The change can start – needs to start- with you.  Turn off the violence by refusing to be entertained by it.  Refuse to financially support the continued chaos that encompasses our every sensation.  Turn off the news, both on the radio, TV and in print.

Turn it all off.  Celebrate positive connections, helping one another, nurturing each other and supporting all sentient beings.

So I ask one last time – what is the cost of one life?  Answer, there is no definable value.  Without the linkage of lives- we all perish.  It is invaluable.  It is high time we retake our role, modeling compassion, love and support instead, instead of destruction seriously. Stop the craziness!  How?

1. Be shocked again by violence.  Be repulsed, not entertained by it.
2. Make revenge illegal, unacceptable.
3.  Devalue the “strong” over the “weak”.  We all have both characteristics in us.
4.  Speak out against violence, real and “entertainment.”  Passive acceptance is the same as doing it yourself.
5.  Truly believe and realize the interconnection of all, in the intricate self supporting chain of life.  When one link is removed prematurely and by force, all are affected.
6.  Generate and send healing to yourself, your family, friends, and most importantly to your enemies.
7. Turn your enemies into your friends. 

We are all bees.