Trait # 4:
Resist the urge to justify inaction
Marc Ching from Los Angeles is the one of the most courageous
animal activists and is also the founder of Animal Hope and
Wellness Foundation, a non-profit organization devoted to rescuing
and rehabilitating abused dogs at the hands of the Asian dog meat
industry.
It all started in 2015 when Marc heard about the Yulin Dog Meat
Festival that was being taken place in China. At the time, he
understood that some regions across Asia still practiced the dog
meat cuisine, but he didn’t fully understand about the mistreatment
and abuse that the dogs faced, so he decided to go to the festival to
learn more. The mistreatment and abuse Marc discovered that dogs
underwent during his trip was horrific and life changing. Attending
the Yulin Festival transformed Marc from being a normal family man
into a dedicated man who has sworn to devote his life to combatting the Asian dog meat industry by travelling to several countries across Asia as an undercover wealthy dog meat buyer to document and expose the inhumane practices of this industry and to rescue the dogs.
His awareness and rescue project has been dangerous. Marc has been chased, shot, beat up, and harassed by members of the industry for saving the dogs that were meant to be eaten and has been extremely traumatized and even permanently damaged. But he continues to do his work despite all the pain because he knows that his actions are essential and a big step closer to creating more global awareness of the dog meat trade practices and turning it into a legislative reform. “You know I’m just losing it out there. But I have to go because a part of me feels like if I don’t go nobody else will.”
Not taking action is easy to do because it is so effortless and easy to rationalize. Finding excuses to justify inaction occurs daily and taking a part in the bystander effect is a great example of this. Most people often decide not to take action in situations that require help because they often believe that they don’t have enough experience in these situations and that everything will be fine because someone else will eventually be there to take care of the situation for them. However, being a hero requires you to act upon situations that require heroic action. Therefore, instead of rationalizing and finding excuses for inaction, try to train yourself to rationalize and find reasons that will make you want to take heroic action. Believe in yourself and the possibility that you must take immediate action because no one else will. Resisting the urge to justify inaction will develop your ability to propel into heroic action at a quicker speed.
Marc ching
