Is it unusual for a man or woman to care so much for all life that they feel need to protect everything living

Question

To StillDebugging:

I mean everything on our natural eye level. Everything we are made to see or can see or hear on this planet without need for any other device. This means everything we see that lives and walks, crawls, flies, slides, grows etc. we all can see or we can tell others about if they maybe blind, deaf or both.

Answer 1

That's an interesting question.  I have to throw something else into the mix that adds some more gray areas.  How broad is your definition of "every living thing"?  Do you wish to protect viruses and bacteria when they are infecting your body?  If not, does that mean that your desire to protect extends only as far as your desire to not harm yourself?  This leads me to question what level of harm to yourself are you willing to endure to protect other living things.  

Also, when two living things exist in a ecosystem such that one must die for another to live (e.g. predation) do you feel conflicted about wanting to protect them both, or do you side with one or the other?  

But, finally, to answer your question: yes, it is probably unusual.  Most people create thresholds at which they will stop wanting to protect a given living thing in favor of another or in favor of themselves.  Different people's thresholds are at different levels, but everyone has them.

Answer 2

Things look distorted from their true being. We must be able to discern what we want to protect.

Answer 3

Actually it's deadly.

For every meal you've had, something had to die.

Life is like a billion mouths with really sharp teeth roaming around asking "What's for lunch?"

I suppose it's not that unusual for a naive child or retarded adult to want to 'hug the lions'.

What would be unusual would be for this type of person to be long lived or something besides a perpetual burden to those who protect.

Answer 4

what a wonderful person that would be a little life tenderer.....

seeing to the  care of all living things.I suppose alot of conservationists are like that and scientists to who  are devoted to the preservation of certain things....knowledge wise.

Answer 5

We should all protect nature as far as we can, this includes animals, insects, plants etc.

Unfortunately this is not generalised to all populations (including our Western states).

Answer 6

yes to a extent but you can not protect everything life coulden go on to me life seems cruel why does every creature have to kill other creatures to survive including humans the biggest killers if we lived in perfect conditions this should not be because any creature i have seen wants and enjoys there life you can see that in your pets i do not know why this world is the way it is.

Answer 7

some people are just deep with things like that..

I dont really give a siht about everything living as long as im on both feet.

Answer 8

I think it is good to have a compassionate and empathetic nature, but when someone is focusing all of their life's motivation in caring for others that that becomes their purpose in life, then that might be crossing the line a little too much. No one has the ability to control all.

I do believe I am very compassionate and empathetic. Today I was driving on my way home and just about at my house and saw someone run over a sparrow. I felt really bad for a few after seeing that because it was a life. I realized there was nothing I could do and I cannot control everything in this world. Life and death is a part of our existence and we can't control that.

Answer 9

Hey i used to save drowning bugs from our pool when i was  about 13 years old, i feel the same way as you do, i hate it cuz it breaks my heart, i am bad lets say i come upon a person being mean to an animal  i will do whatever it takes  to make him stop [ i mean anything]  thats the part about me that scares me i cant help it

Answer 10

...not unusual at all...our environmental agency should care even more so...

Answer 11

Most people might think such a person is "nuts" but I think it's perfectly "normal" and acceptable to value all living things.

The philosophical position which you are describing seems very similar to the doctrine/practice of Ahimsa in Jainism, although it will appear to you if/when you research Jainism that this may be one of the most impossible things to accomplish. The orthodox Jains are extreme ascetics.

Answer 12

What may be unusual in the West may not be so odd in the East, however...

How could one protect all life without disrupting that life and without having to stop and, thereby, doing harm and so not protecting other aspects of life or living beings?

If one tried to protect all plants, that one would necessarily have to stop animals and insects from seeking the nourishment they required and attaining the same thereby harming them...

If one tried to stop those animals that dine on other animals, they would be doing harm to them and disrupting the natural order and the natural food chain...

Perhaps it is wiser for all to attempt to live together in harmony, maintaining the natural order of life and letting all be that which they are....

The issue becomes one of control and who should wield the same and who should not.

Be well.