Its murder.

[Ali Quadir]

You can't think like that can you?

An uncharacteristically judgemental comment from yourself, brother. Yes, one can, and one does. It appears I have uncovered an area of catalyst for yourself to contemplate.

I only disagreed. Not all disagreeing is a catalyst, perhaps you feel it that way, but it isn't to me. Think about that. Why do you see what I do not see? Because it is in you?

If you take tomatoes of the land, to feed hungry children you're acting both STS and STO... Because not only do you feed the hungry, you also take food away from insects, worms and bacteria. When you choose to let fleas bite you, not only do you choose to feed the flea, you also allow diseases to spread more easily.

Consider that vegetables and fruit are both 'designed' to be eaten.

Fruit perhaps, but if you eat a potato that potato will never be a plant, you've effectively killed it. According to the same logic, we're designed to be eaten by tigers. Full of crunchy goodness.

In order to spread their seeds, two methods are employed. Firstly, the fruit is brightly coloured in which to grab attention, and secondly they are very flavoursome, as to encourage consumption. Once consumed, the seeds are distributed across the earth via the natural digestive/excretive system of the consumer. A natural process.

Fruit yes, everything else, including vegetables... No... Potatos actually developed poisoned leaves to defend themselves. Clearly they are designed to not be eaten? So eating potatoes is an STS act?

I tend to lean away from 'what if' scenarios as their initial intention holds another's perspective, i.e. "justify your beliefs with my criteria". Each of your circumstances are large, and valid, questions for discussion, one's I do not have the time to commit to.

That's exactly what I use them for... Because these "what ifs" clearly illustrate the limits of your position. Like I said, STS STO, are useful concepts but they are as limited in describing the world as the colors black and white are.

Is mother earth STS or STO?

Gaia is STO; she provides all material in which life uses to gain experience. She is allowing great darkness to fall upon her as humanity scrabbles for the light, and is in the painful throws of childbirth, the ascent of humanity being the child.

Also she kills, drowns and frequently "murders" the animals and humans on her skin. She'll shrug us off if we become a pest to her. All creatures on her surface fight for survival. Most of them die violent deaths succumbing to others big or small trying to constantly eat us. To presume Gaia to be STO is clearly closing your eyes to aeons of experience humanity had with her...

Gaia is a savage garden, beautiful but brutal. Not STS or STO, just precisely what she is. No obligations, no promises, and a promise of uncertainty. Gaia is Gaia, a rock is a rock, a tiger is a tiger, and I am Me. Not STS or STO...

If I were angelic, free from all sins like a new born baby I would not survive here one day on my own without a dark guardian. One who is covered in the dirt and blood of the earth and intent on keeping me alive. You have to be in tune with the earth to survive here. Our ancestors knew this. They understood the giving and taking. And they were healthy and happy. Your body understands too by the way... Why do you have two of most organs? Because you were "designed to get damaged"...

That is the game too. We in our western world are too much locked up in our ivory towers. Presuming we know all there is to know. You never were chased by a tiger. It's easy to see nobility in a tiger if it's not your skin on the line. You probably never killed an animal with your bare hands overjoyed in the realization that this means your kids are going to live.

It is simply not realistic or in tune with nature to suggest that Peregrinus would have acted more STO by not killing the bedbugs that were tormenting his daughter. To me that indicates that perhaps we're becoming too removed from actual reality... Too caught up in the cloudy whispy visions we see in our ivory towers.

Life is life, it's hard and it's sharp, it draws your blood, bruises you, damages you. It's also awesome snugly warm sticky and just plain glorious. Bring it on. I throw myself into the fray every day. No expectations, no judgments.

@Unity, I agree, there is no limit to our responsibility. Responsibility simply means... Response-ability. You're capable of responding. IF you're capable of responding then you are response-able. This means you have to make a choice, even not choosing is a choice, it does not mean that we will be held accountable as the religions would like us to feel.

Polarization IS making that choice. And STS STO are useful concepts to accomplish this. To be response-able... But the polarization is immensely more important than the STS STO distinction.