A Baby Dolphin and Narcisism

CBS News posted an article today titled, "Baby Dolphin Apparently Dies After Beachgoers Pull it From Water."  Like most articles/posts these days, the headline pretty much tells you the whole story.  The additional details include that the incident occurred at an Argentinian beach when a couple baby dolphins were spotted near the shoreline and at least one was pulled out, passed around a horde of beachgoers, and died, likely from being overheated outside of the water.

I am no PETA advocate.  I think people go psychotic in the defense of animals sometimes.  I also do not think animals have "rights."  Humans have rights.  But this is disturbing.

This takes our level of narcissism to a new level.  It's also part of the "picture or it didn't  happen" sentiment.  For whatever reason we are unable to appreciate something for its own sake.  Whether its seeing a celebrity in public, attending a great concert, or encountering a baby dolphin in the ocean we feel the need to document the moment and prove it to others.

In and of itself, this is a pretty normal and benign urge.  But, clearly, it can be taken to the extreme.  Interrupting someone famous eating a meal in the same restaurant as you?  What right do you have?  Sure, context matters.  If there is some kid and his baseball hero is hanging out with a couple guys at the local burger shack, that seems pretty fair game.  If you're a 40 year old going over to beg the all-star pitcher from your favorite team (who also happens to be 15 years younger than you) for a selfie while he's dining out with his wife, you need to reevaluate life.

As for the concert, absolutely take some video or a few pictures.  But if you are on your phone the entire time, YOU ARE MISSING THE EXPERIENCE.  What good is documenting the whole thing when you don't even recall the emotion of being there when the band plays your favorite song.  My seven-month pregnant wife and I traveled to Boston to see Needtobreathe this summer.  I remember snapping a bunch of pictures of them and the other bands.  When they started into "The Heart" (my favorite song of theirs), I put the phone away and experienced the music.  I was there.  I don't need to prove it to anyone.

So there is this baby dolphin, just chilling.  And you all take it out of the water into the hot sun and pass it around to revel in your own glory until you kill the damn thing.  Congratulations, you monsters.

I'm not advocating for jail time or fines for anyone involved.  I do, however, hope there was shame.  I hope there has been repentance.  Not just because a dolphin is dead, but because we think so highly of ourselves that we don't care about being rude to others, missing out on an experience, or killing a beautiful animal.  Is there worse sin against ourselves than basking in our own faux importance?

"They were careless people...they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness...and let other people clean up the mess they had made."