Blackfish

Of a Sunday morning, I sat down to watch Blackfish. Have you seen it? Crikey!!!

Centered on a performing killer whale called Tilikum (who's killed a couple people over the course of his captivity), the documentary's actually a tough look at greed and the innate, really unavoidable cruelty of the captive-animal industry.

Let's set aside the discussion about how keenly intelligent whales have long been known to be—how they navigate complex emotional landscapes and live by tight-knit social structures that we burn to the ground every time we snatch one into captivity.

Instead, let's reflect on nobility.

Let's talk about the ink-black underbelly of the corporate race for dollars, how SEA WORLD LIES, as most (all?) corporations do—like a motherfucker, in fact—even when human lives are at stake.

Let's explore the reason that a captive-animal industry even exists—because we're curious, us humans. We want more than just to glimpse a dark fin cutting through silver ocean waters—we want talk to and touch the behemoth creatures; we want to KNOW them.

And finally, let's start a new story with ourselves and our kids and shit—something about treating everything with respect. I mean, let's find some goddamn grace or whatever. Ok, I'm done.