Comments on: Far Away http://meanderingpassage.com/2009/07/02/far-away/ Life is seldom simple so we must make sense of the twist and turns Fri, 19 Mar 2010 16:18:13 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: Earl http://meanderingpassage.com/2009/07/02/far-away/comment-page-1/#comment-28478 Earl Sun, 05 Jul 2009 23:02:51 +0000 http://meanderingpassage.com/2009/07/02/far-away/#comment-28478 @Monte and @Anita, thank you both for your comments and for sharing your feelings on this subject. @Monte and @Anita, thank you both for your comments and for sharing your feelings on this subject.

]]> By: Anita Jesse http://meanderingpassage.com/2009/07/02/far-away/comment-page-1/#comment-28477 Anita Jesse Sat, 04 Jul 2009 21:53:05 +0000 http://meanderingpassage.com/2009/07/02/far-away/#comment-28477 I am another who struggles with mixed feelings when I visit a zoo. Your resolution to "celebrate their lives" is a lovely way to state the best of the situation. Betweeen your observations and the earlier comments, I was reminded of positive effects of zoos and that helps settle the feelings. I also think that zoos increase awareness in some people who can be impressed by the beauty and wonder of so many creatures that they would otherwise only read about. The photograph is extremely touching. Great job. I am another who struggles with mixed feelings when I visit a zoo. Your resolution to “celebrate their lives” is a lovely way to state the best of the situation. Betweeen your observations and the earlier comments, I was reminded of positive effects of zoos and that helps settle the feelings. I also think that zoos increase awareness in some people who can be impressed by the beauty and wonder of so many creatures that they would otherwise only read about.

The photograph is extremely touching. Great job.

]]> By: Monte Stevens http://meanderingpassage.com/2009/07/02/far-away/comment-page-1/#comment-28474 Monte Stevens Fri, 03 Jul 2009 11:12:08 +0000 http://meanderingpassage.com/2009/07/02/far-away/#comment-28474 I too, share your feelings on animal captivity. I even have mixed feelings about fenced in dogs or leashed dogs. And, unfortunately man is part of the reason for the decline in the numbers of these animals. I like your statement, "celebrate their lives". Have a great weekend. I too, share your feelings on animal captivity. I even have mixed feelings about fenced in dogs or leashed dogs. And, unfortunately man is part of the reason for the decline in the numbers of these animals. I like your statement, “celebrate their lives”. Have a great weekend.

]]> By: Earl http://meanderingpassage.com/2009/07/02/far-away/comment-page-1/#comment-28472 Earl Thu, 02 Jul 2009 23:34:49 +0000 http://meanderingpassage.com/2009/07/02/far-away/#comment-28472 @Markus: Thanks for mentioning research and breeding work performed at/by zoos--that's a valuable contribution. Of course with shrinking funding most zoos now have to become commercialized to compete for the tourist dollar. Unless our social priorities change I don't things getting better anytime soon. @Markus: Thanks for mentioning research and breeding work performed at/by zoos–that’s a valuable contribution. Of course with shrinking funding most zoos now have to become commercialized to compete for the tourist dollar. Unless our social priorities change I don’t things getting better anytime soon.

]]> By: Markus Spring http://meanderingpassage.com/2009/07/02/far-away/comment-page-1/#comment-28471 Markus Spring Thu, 02 Jul 2009 20:43:05 +0000 http://meanderingpassage.com/2009/07/02/far-away/#comment-28471 Earl, I share your mixed feelings about zoological gardens. Whilst at least in the bigger (and richer ones) the captivity situation is less obvious, they are still a sad example of the majorities relationship towards nature: it's seen more as a commodity, something consumable, and not so many thoughts are given to the simple fact that none of those animals that was captured in the wild would ever want to live in the zoo-typical small habitat. In my eyes your picture does reflect this sad fact. Of course there is no denying that sometimes the zoo is the last chance for individual animals, and also there is valuable breeding work done there. But overall my feelings tend to the depressive side after each zoo visit. Earl, I share your mixed feelings about zoological gardens. Whilst at least in the bigger (and richer ones) the captivity situation is less obvious, they are still a sad example of the majorities relationship towards nature: it’s seen more as a commodity, something consumable, and not so many thoughts are given to the simple fact that none of those animals that was captured in the wild would ever want to live in the zoo-typical small habitat. In my eyes your picture does reflect this sad fact.
Of course there is no denying that sometimes the zoo is the last chance for individual animals, and also there is valuable breeding work done there. But overall my feelings tend to the depressive side after each zoo visit.

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