Ritika Chowdhury
Leo Tolstoy was a famous Russian writer, but he was also known for his strong moral beliefs and kindness. He became a vegetarian for the last 25 years of his life. He believed that killing and eating animals was wrong and cruel. As a devout Christian, he thought all living beings- whether human or animal- had spirits, emotions and could feel pain. Because of this, he believed humans had no right to harm or kill animals. Here are some of his most powerful words about his closeness with nature and animals.
“As long as there are slaughterhouses, there will always be battlefields.”
This quote tells us that there is no real distinction in forms of violence. If you as a person, can justify committing one form of violence, it means you wouldn’t hesitate to commit a thousand other acts of violence. Therefore, through this quote, Tolstoy emphasized on the importance of adopting a plant-based diet, which is essential for people to be free from violence.
“And yet our existence is so organized that every personal enjoyment is purchased at the price of human suffering contrary to human nature.”
This quote means that in our lives, joy and happiness can never be truly attained by causing pain to others, which is inherently unfair by nature. The quote highlights that many people derive their happiness by causing suffering to others. For instance, when you buy an expensive item for your own pleasure, you might be unaware of the number of living beings that were harmed or the suffering that nature endured during its production. This quote tries to convey that whenever we buy or do something for our own happiness, we should ensure that it does not cause suffering or pain to others’ lives.
“Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.”
This quote means that everyone wants to be bringing a change to the world, but no one ever wants to work on improving themselves. When will the world change? The world will change when we first change ourselves. Suppose if you want to keep the whole city clean, what will the first step be? Obviously, it will be cleaning our own room. So, to bring a transformative change in the world, first we need to change ourselves, and that surely starts from our home. Remember this one: drop by drop, an ocean is formed.
“One of the first conditions of happiness is that the link between Man and Nature shall not be broken.”
Tolstoy was way ahead of his time. Through this quote, he emphasizes that no matter how much you chase after materialistic things, the real happiness and peace of mind you seek can only be found in nature. Therefore, our greatest effort should always be to never harm nature. The joy and exuberance that nature can give us, which satisfies our minds and regenerates our souls from the daily hustle and bustle, cannot be found anywhere else.
“A man can live and be healthy without killing animals for food; therefore, if he eats meat, he participates in taking animal life merely for the sake of his appetite.”
We can live a healthy life without harming any animal for our survival. We can stay healthy and even thrive by being vegetarian or vegan; in fact, eating these foods can make us feel lighter and more active than eating animals does. It is not necessary to harm animals for our food, and we shouldn’t be so cruel.
