The Cock Pit

Some Filipino men returning from the cock fights. A quick grab shot

taken out the window of the car in passing.

I very much like the sepia processing. This is one of those images I'd rather pretend I didn't see. I have a part-time job which requires a lot of driving on two lane roads, and at night everything becomes such a ghostly momentary vision. So many times I pass something that looks like it could be a dead animal, and I find myself mentally convincing myself that it's just a piece of tire tread cast off of a disintegrating tire. That's what I want to do when I think about an image such as this. As I drive these backroads in the wee hours of the night and morning, I never fail to fall into a mental conversation of how man came to this land and eliminated all that did not please him or give him economic benefit. We truly cannot live in harmony with nature. Not any more than a virus can help consuming its host.

But the deliberate cruelty to other species and to other people is something that just depresses the crap out of me. It's like I need to become a non human, because I don't want to be found guilty by association. (Yes, I know how fatuous and stupid this sounds, but I say it anyway). But can a people who do not have more concern for other species and for life in general prosper? I don't see how. Nor do I see that they should.

Dave, this was one of many quick grab shots out the window of the car. It was not until I got the image up on my screen and started to notice the details, such as the cages under the sign, that the term cockpit took on another meaning to the one I would normally ascribe.

I abhor senseless cruelty. In truth, pretty much any violence turns my stomach.  I swerve to miss frogs on the road and stop to move turtles to the other side. I even carry bugs outside if I find them wandering in my house. I'm not sure of whether that attitude toward my fellow creatures makes me more or less human.  Most species expand their territory at the expense of other creatures to whatever extent they can manage. In the broadest terms, history demonstrates that when a species expands its population beyond what the environment can handle a collapse occurs. Humanity is overdue for such a collapse. Sadly we seem to be taking out a lot of other species in the process.

I suspect that kindness toward other species is something we are taught rather than an innate characteristic of our own species. In the Philippines cock fighting is a national obsession. It is mainly about gambling and prestige. I rarely walked a block in any town without seeing roosters in pens in peoples yards. To my western mindset the sport is despicable, as is bull fighting, dog fighting and any other wanton cruelty. I could never go to such an event but as a visitor I viewed and recorded this scene in passing.

I could never go to such an event but as a visitor I viewed.....

Drew, I photographed the men coming home from the cock fights. I never attended or saw a cockfight. I gather from the sign that the event was in the town named on the sign.

I could never go to one of these fights either; it sickens me! From the look on their faces, I think they must feel pretty empty inside. Such horrible things some people find "entertaining". Sometimes I don't think man has evolved one bit from the days of watching gladiator fights or people eaten by lions, or people put into incinerators. Shame. Good photo but makes me very sad.

While I was not looking to open a discussion on animal rights when I uploaded the photo, these things tend to take on a life of their own once tossed out into the world, i appreciate all of the comments .... thanks.