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Define morality. Define humanity. Define rights. Define human rights. Define animal rights. One of the biggest misconception of all time is the idea that morality and rights are a given, as though the words were imprinted somewhere in some immortal text or other to decree what we should or should not do.

Not even the Bible can clearly define any of the above. Sorry, the Ten Commandments just ain't enough - and before we get into a religious debate - no, i doubt if any of the other religious texts can either.

How do I know? You see, there are three factors in life that determine the history of humanity. No, they are not death, change and taxes. But change is indeed one of them - and the other two are power and reason.

Not so long ago in Earth years - say give or take tens of thousands of years (it's not that long compared with the dinosaurs) - if you are not feeling righty-oh about the next door caveman leering at your wife, a skull-crushing blow from your oversized club should do the trick. Now that is power.

Ten thousand years down the road, a distinctly human trait called reason has taught us the importance of the collective over the individual, evolving us into what we now call civilisation. Now that is change.

Ten thousand years ago, we wouldn't have cared less if we skinned an animal alive or bashed its head in a hundred times so long as we had food on the table. Today, we wonder about the most humane way to kill chickens so we can crispy fry them to perfection for fat, spoilt kids.

It doesn't even make sense. How do you kill an animal that you don't generally call human HUMANELY?

Now we are arguing over whether it is morally right to test cosmetics on animals before we sell them in the market to women to beautify themselves so that we will want to watch them in the movies.

Sorry about reality - but that's the way life is now. As disgusting as the idea may be, it serves a purpose. Testing on animals prevents the undesirable possibility of women overdosing their faces with arsenic or some such. Too bad for the fluffy white rabit. We have the power to spray-paint any lab rat we like and we will do it if it serves a profitable purpose.

But does that mean we can do whatever we like recklessly? That's where reason kicks in. All the vegetarians, save-the-ozoners, and whatever rights activists do make a statement. They do help to keep things going off the rocker - not to mention preventing the cute little minks from turning into furry coats.

That's how the world works - Power, Reason, Change - that's how it goes down the line. We may not say a prayer for every hamster that sacrifices itself for a worthy cause, but we don't have to kill every hamster either - some do make good pets.

Maybe ten thousand years down the milky way, scientists will be testing their nuclear radioactive warpspace hyperdrives on stinking, slimy cockcroaches instead. Now that's a critter we don't want too much of. Right?

Learn more about this author, Harry Lamer.
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