Provoking Thought on World Emergencies: “Contagion” & “The Land of Hope and Glory”

Telling a both riveting and cautionary tale, “Contagion” was critically acclaimed and was also well-received by scientists for its accuracy. About 10 years after the film’s release, we are experiencing something very similar with the current coronavirus pandemic. Like the virus in “Contagion,”COVID-19 was originally transmitted by eating animals and has rapidly spread around the world, making millions of people sick and taking more than 310,000 lives (as of May 18, 2020). Outbreaks like swine flu, avian flu, mad cow disease, SARS, coronavirus - what they all have in common is animal consumption. The only way to guarantee that this never happens again is to shut down all slaughterhouses. The revolutionary 2017 British documentary “The Land of Hope and Glory” was produced by the founders of British animal rights organization Surge. We see the extreme and terrible lifetime of confinement these animals have to endure, as well as the unnecessary cruelty that make their lives a constant nightmare. Like us, these animals embody the mystery and wonder of consciousness. Like us, they are not only in the world; they are aware of it. Like us, they are the psychological centers of a life that is uniquely their own. “The Land of Hope and Glory” gives us a rare, in-depth look at the UK livestock industry and sends a clear message that “worth of life” is equal amongst all living beings.