If You Have the Guts...

If you still remember, we watched a couple of videos during our last pre-trip meeting which were pretty revealing of how our Nike/GAP products were derived.

All of us are consumers - we buy, use, eat, drink, and dispose of so many things each day, yet often remain unaware of how/where these products come from.

And if you still remember, the day our Indonesian counterparts invited two monkeys to perform for us. It was a kind and sincere gesture on their part, to express their gratitude and appreciation for all that we had done. Yet, little did they expect some of us to cry, while some of us simply walked away because we could not bear watching the poor monkeys being tugged roughly all around, with metal chains around their necks.

If monkeys are cute and intelligent animals to be loved and cherished, then why not watch these videos if you have the guts. I have to say these are not the worst you can find on Youtube. There are lots more out there, if you are interested.






It is one thing to watch these clips on a computer, and another to witness an animal's misery in real life. The latter leaves so deep an impression that it definitely is enough to last for as long as a lifetime, if not more.

I was watching a TV show just this morning with two Mediacorp babes shopping for ingredients at the Bukit Timah Food Centre. They were visiting some stalls in the wet market, and I saw neatly-arranged chicken carcasses and huge finless sharks selling at $10/kg, and just started crying.

Perhaps some people simply cry more easily than others do, but like what I would say, it is not just what you do that matters, but also, what you think that does.

In that sense, being a vegetarian is nowhere as simple as abstaining from meat and eating nothing but vegetables (or some say grass).

Rather, it is the mindset, the emotions, the feelings, the thoughts, of kindness, compassion, mercy, and sadness - feelings which I believe all humans possess - that we as humans, have most unfortunately allowed and condoned the proliferation of animal factories and slaughterhouses all around the world.

The next time you enjoy your steak, think of the cow that died for you. Think of the blood that it shed, or perhaps think about the reason it was born, and the painful life that it subsequently led just so that we humans could satisfy our foodie desires.

Not trying to turn anyone a vegetarian here (for it does entail a significant lifestyle change for the determined ones), but the least we can do is to eat less meat, and the question is - kenapa tidak? (why not?) =)