Brave or Stupid - Bulls Run at Festival of San Fermin, Pamplona

[DS Star]

http://youtu.be/L0G6dcay6o0
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An Australian woman is in serious condition after being gored by a bull on the last day of Pamplona's historic running of the bulls festival. According to an official report, the woman suffered fractured rubs and damage to her right lung. Her condition was described as "grave" by the regional government, which hosts the festival.

This year there are a total of 206 people reported injuries with 5 seriously injured in the final ritual running of the bulls at the Festival of San Fermin.

- Australian woman gored in chest on final day of running with the bulls
- American injuries include spleen damage and "rectal perforation"
- Spaniard and Irishman seriously hurt in 200-person, two bull pile-up
- At least 200 runners sustain bull-related injuries during nine-day festival

As part of the nine-day festival, which celebrates San Fermin, patron saint of Pamplona and the Navarra region, human thrill seekers run through the streets of Pamplona amid groups of six charging bulls. The runners will drink all night as encouragement for them to run with the bulls at 8am.

According to various reports, over the last century there were about 15 runners have been killed at the running of the bulls.

So what drives them to risk their lives? Courage, madness, plain stupidity or drunk?

For me, they are wasting their precious human lives while torturing the bulls... this is plain stupid act. As for the organiser and the local government, I would labelled them as "Greedy" because they are risking the lives of the public/ tourists and the bulls. They are equivalent to criminals, murderers... 

Longer video of the bulls run:

http://youtu.be/LsPh0sxpKU8
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[Q]

Looks tribal... this is the most ridiculous thing I've ever seen. Why would anyone want to participate in such an event? What is the whole purpose behind it? Very strange...

Well, at least they didn't kill any bull in the process. I know this may sound a little un-Buddhist, but whoever got hurt here, deserved it. No one forced them to participate in such an event anyways, it's their choice... It's probably one of the ancient ways of how the aristocrats of the country tried to terrify the peasant to keep them in check. Guess that turned into a cultural thing.

[bambi]

Its unbelievable! Why do people do that? What do they get out of it? There are people in the world who wants to continue living but there are these people who are just wasting and throwing away precious life! How ignorant! I so pity their karma. To be hurt in so many lives... The government must ban such activities... Its so inhumane!

[RedLantern]

Can you imagine the pain those poor  animals were in,it just shows how cruel humans can be.Don't understand why people can even enjoy torturing the poor animals.This kind of barbaric sport should be forbidden.Too much publicity is given to this .An unnecessary cruelty to helpless animals used for the amusement of people.Whether it's culture or tradition, this should be stopped.

[Jessie Fong]

The origin of this event comes from the need to transport the bulls from the off-site corrals where they had spent the night, to the bullring where they would be killed in the evening. Youngsters would jump among them to show off their bravado. In Pamplona and other places, the six bulls in the event are still those that will feature in the afternoon bullfight of the same day.

Spanish tradition says the true origin of the run began in northeastern Spain during the early 14th century. While transporting cattle in order to sell them at the market, men would try to speed the process by hurrying their cattle using tactics of fear and excitement. After years of this practice, the transportation and hurrying began to turn into a competition, as young adults would attempt to race in front of the bulls and make it safely to their pens without being overtaken. When the popularity of this practice increased and was noticed more and more by the expanding population of Spanish cities, a tradition was created and stands to this day.

Extracted from : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Running_of_the_Bulls



I see this event as an ego-trip, trying to outrun everybody else and the bulls.  Of course it takes a lot of courage to do this, and it is also stupid to wage your life.

Maybe they have nothing else better to do?  But this should not be the answer.

[pgdharma]

I feel this is a stupid event. Why would people want to risk their lives in such dangerous race? What do they get out of it besides some excitement? Is it worth risking one’s life to boost up one’s ego and to prove one’s bravery? Well for those people who were injured during the bulls run, I should say that they deserved it as it was their choice to participate. I hope they will realized that this is not a worthy race.

[DS Star]

Perhaps these people we take as 'fools' share this spirit?


"Security is mostly a superstition.

It does not exist in nature,

nor do the children of men as a whole experience it.

Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure.

Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing.

To keep our faces toward change and

behave like free spirits in the presence of fate

is undefeatable. "

~ Helen Keller,  the American author, political activist and lecturer who was blind, deaf and mute.

[Rihanna]

This bothers me a lot. I always fail to understand why would human resort to activities such as this? We are hurting human and animal because it is fun and it seems to be a yearly cultural event?? Doesn't make sense.  One would understand if this was being the practice of ancestors over thousands of years ago but certainly not at this age and time. This is endangering lives and it is torturing the animal too. To my horror, I have watched one documentary that mentioned about Bull chasing festivals, it was documented that the bulls were agitated before releasing them to chase thousands of people(!!) Unbelievably naive and cruel.

[brian]

I feel this is an unnecessary event and in fact i feel this is a very cruel event. I agree to what Rihanna said. I saw a documentary that showed how the bulls were agitated and beaten to make them angry before being released into the crowd of people inviting death. Seriously this practice could be a little too outdated and not relevant to our time now similarly to mass slaughter of whales in Japan and Norway. Olden days might feel this is a feel good festival but am sorry to say, this is rather stupid and inhumane for me.

[Benny]

This crazy act should be stopped simply because of the sheer risk to humans and cruelty to the animals . As Jessie Fong has kindly shared that the origins goes back to medieval times when there were no such thing as trucks to transport the animals and as such has to be corralled , why then should this inhumane and dangerous act be continued to this day ? I find that it is simply because of the sheer mindless thrill derived from alcohol induced " bravery " , needless to say those that were unfortunate enough to be gored or trampled would not be to thrilled afterwards . I think there is no customary nor any traditional significance in this festival , just sheer danger to both human and animals . The Spanish would be so deluded to take pride in such a mindless festival . Please " evolve " and be less barbaric . 

[kris]

I think this act is just plain stupid plus cruelty 

Firstly, I don't quite understand Spain why there is a need to treat the bulls like that.. instigate the bulls, make them go berserk, kill them alive, etc....

Spain is not the only country which is cruel to animal.. China, Japan etc has their own "culture" ways of making animals suffer.. I have seen a video where Japanese would grill octopus alive

I know this is part of their culture, but is this something to be proud of? Can these be stopped?

[metta girl]

What I read that is done to the bulls is HORRIBLE! The cruelty towards animals is beyond belief.
 Just imagining the fear and agonizing pain these poor bulls are put through. I think it's stupid  to even get involved.participate or even to watched in this cruel act .And for those attending this festival and enjoying seeing the bulls being tortured ,you have got a mental problem.

[maricisun]

This sport is really an act or Barbaric. People enjoying while the animals suffering. They have no compassion at all for these animals. Just satisfying their desire for these so call sports.
Think its time to stop any sports which led to harming and cruelty to any animals.
Animals have feelings too.

[Midakpa]

This is a very dangerous sport. The streets of Pamplona are very narrow and there is always a very big crowd which makes running difficult. If you are not in front and can run fast, the chances are you will be trampled by others or gored by the bulls. Every year there are accidents, but people are still attracted to the sport because of the thrill of outrunning the bulls.

[Positive Change]

It is certainly NOT brave, NOT stupid... If one is stupid, it is almost forgivable... but to blatantly cause suffering purely for one's own so called "pleasure' and egotistical mania... is just downright CRUEL!

What is the whole point of this? I mean, seriously? I thought we had moved on from the Roman Gladiators... but looks like we have not and merely moved on to defenseless beings that cannot even begin to defend themselves. At least (though I am not condoning), the gladiators had some chance!