Sunday 22 January 2012

The Question - opening instalment.

This is the first of Stephen Chapman's - thestateofthenationuk.blogspot.com - latest regular blog feature, and I am pleased to be able to offer a contribution. 


Stephen says:-

Welcome to 'The Question'... a single question to be answered by bloggers on the same day, with the aim of sparking some conversation, debate and shared experiences on various blogs around the world. If you choose to answer The Question, please add your link to my page and therefore, I hope that responses will then be compared.

The question this month is:

What would you attempt if you knew you could not fail?


My Answer: I would work towards a significant reduction in the suffering of animals and bring about increased respect for them (e.g. by writing a book on the subject which has a global influence, giving a talk, presenting a TV/radio programme which gets wide coverage....and so on.)


I've given this question a great deal of thought over recent days and my answer will hardly surprise anyone who knows me through my blog. Of course I appreciate that some would be enraged at my choosing animals for attention while there is so much human suffering all over the planet. Or should I have elected to engage in gay issues or AIDS or scientific research etc.? All these are valid questions but here is not the place or time to put forward justifications for my choice. All that will have to wait for a future of blog of mine.

I had thought first about more mundane things like learning to swim, learning to drive. (That's right. I can't do either!) Then I thought about learning to read Sanskrit and that really grabbed me. Reading is more likely to be of greater value than conversing in it as I would love to have the ability to read the sacred texts directly without the need for a translation, which inevitably makes it second-hand. 

But, being honest to readers of this and of Stephen's fine blog, I adhere to the choice I've made.

     

 

6 comments:

  1. Interesting question and an interesting answer.

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  2. Well, Jase, it's certainly an interesting question. But I think that anyone who knows me would find my answer dully predictable.

    Good to have you stopping by.

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  3. It's a big world and so many areas that need attention...there is no wrong in where you would choose to focus your attention and resources if it ends suffering for any living thing.

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    1. That's a kind comment of support, S/b - but what you say is true. There just aren't enough funds for EVERYTHING that we'd like.
      Thanks.

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  4. Great answer. Selfless and kind.

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  5. Thanks also to you, NL. I hope that there aren't TOO many people seething at my answer, though there are bound to be some.

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