October 31, 2024 • 22 mins
In the debut episode of In Service Of cohosts Steve Baltin and Sage Bava speak with Dr. Jane Goodall about her mission in life, to give people hope. They also talk about her relationship with music, why at 90 years old she still gets excited learning and much more. This is truly an inspirational talk with a legend!
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
Hey, this is Steve Balton.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
Hello, I'm Sage Bava.
Speaker 1 (00:10):
And this is in service of a new podcast dedicated
to speaking with artists and change makers on how being
in service influences their work and their creative process.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
We're so excited to share this conversation with doctor Jane Goodall.
Jane is renowned for her groundbreaking work with chimpanzees in
the wild, where she transformed our understanding of these incredible
beings and their complex societies, as well as proving the
undeniable sentience in all living beings. She is a deep
advocate for animal welfare and conservation and has an amazing
(00:47):
message of hope.
Speaker 3 (00:59):
Is beyond an honor for both of us that you
are doing this. And this, by the way, is Sage Bava,
who is an incredible artist and activist.
Speaker 4 (01:08):
But great pleasure to meet you.
Speaker 3 (01:11):
You were saying that you know doing well in these
troubling times, and you know, it's an interesting thing. And
I was thinking about it during the night when I
could not sleep, and I was watching videos of you
at three in.
Speaker 4 (01:22):
The morning, LA time.
Speaker 3 (01:23):
And you know, one of the things that I thought
was so interesting is the fact that you do still
offer hope and you do still talk about the fact
that you believe in things. Where does that come from
for you? And can you tell us some of the
things that you've seen of late that do give you
this hope?
Speaker 5 (01:43):
Well, first of all, I truly believe I was put
on this planet with a mission, and the mission right
now was to give is to give people hope. Previously
is to wake people up about the state of the environment,
and that's still the case is now as well. But
if people don't have hope, then why bother and then
(02:05):
we're doomed. So giving people hope? And what do I
say to people who come and say, oh, it's no good.
Speaker 6 (02:14):
What can I do on one person?
Speaker 5 (02:16):
The problems of the planet are so many, and you
hear think globally, act locally.
Speaker 6 (02:22):
That's wrong.
Speaker 5 (02:23):
You should think locally. I tell them, think about something
you can actually do that you care about in your community.
And you can't solve the problems of the world. Nobody can.
But is this something that you really would like to
make a difference in and get some friends together. So
if they do that, maybe it's clearing up litter, maybe
(02:46):
it's raising money for some charity, Maybe it's volunteering to
look after stray dogs or cats or something like that,
and you will find that you can make a difference.
Bring in new friends. Then you will find that you're
making even more difference, and that will inspire you to
(03:07):
do more and to bring others in. And then having
acted locally and seen that you make a difference, then
you can start thinking, well, as all these other people
like me, and they're all acting all around the world,
and so then you dare to think globally. I don't
(03:27):
know if that makes sense, but you know, the reasons
for hope are the young people. We've got our Roots
and Juts program in seventy countries now, all ages from
preschool through university, and they are changing the world. Secondly,
this amazing intellect, we're beginning at last to use it
(03:49):
for renewable energy and other ways we can live in
greater harmony with the natural world. And we're beginning to
think about our own environmental footsteps as we go through
each day, realizing that we make an impact, and then
realizing that millions of small impacts make big change. And
(04:11):
then there's the resilience of nature. The places we've destroyed,
give them a chance and nature will come back. Maybe
need a bit of help. And there's so many examples
of that, animals on the brink of extinction that can
be given another chance. You've got the California condor, for example,
(04:32):
and that was down to twelve birds, and through captive
breeding and release, there's now it's over two hundred. And
then finally, there's what I call the indomitable spirit, that
people who tackle what seems impossible and won't give up
and somehow find a way. And they're people who tackle,
(04:53):
you know, sometimes it's a political thing, like Nelson Mandela
or Martin Luther King. Sometimes it's people who overcome tremendous
physical disabilities or social disadvantages and they just become very
inspirational because of what they do.
Speaker 3 (05:14):
It's interesting, there's a lot in there, and it's very
beautiful and inspiring. It's funny for you when you think
about it over the years, and that ties in nicely
with we're talking about the Starmis Conference, which you are
participating in next week. In delivering the speech, who are
some of the people that inspire you with their indomitable
spirit or have over the years, Because everybody, no matter what,
(05:36):
needs inspirations, and I'm sure there were those people for
you that you inspired you.
Speaker 5 (05:45):
Well, when I was young, I was incredibly inspired by
my grandmother and the thing she tackled. I was inspired
by my uncle who treated they wounded in London during
the Blitz and work sometimes all night, day after day.
Speaker 6 (06:04):
More recently, I'm really.
Speaker 5 (06:06):
Inspired by Mohammed Yunis, who's raised millions out of poverty.
And you know, there are other people and all the
time there are these young young people in roots and
shoots or other youth groups incredibly inspiring. And I've known
African kids born into total poverty who somehow, through sheer,
(06:30):
hard work and you know, determination to learn, have reached
a much higher position in society than anybody thought they
ever could. And the great thing is we all have
an indomitable spirit. Only most people are afraid to even
think about it. They're afraid to take action there, they're
(06:52):
afraid to come out of their shell.
Speaker 4 (06:57):
Yeah. No, it's interesting.
Speaker 3 (06:58):
I think that we'll talk about this conference for a
second and then I'm gonna let stage it up in
But for you, you know, like what inspired you to
do this and some of the other thinkers there that
you are inspired to be. And I love the fact
by the way though, that you focus on family and
you focus on younger people who inspire you, because again,
(07:20):
I think the most inspiring people oftentimes are the people
either close to you or you know, just random people
that you come in contact with, rather than you know,
it's important to give credit to that because, as you say,
those are the people who really can change the world.
Speaker 5 (07:37):
Yeah, and I'm inspired by a lot of animals tooly
inspiring with what they overcome and then is superly inspiring.
Speaker 3 (07:49):
Actually, most of the time we're more inspiring the people,
very real, familiar. Yeah. I've actually written two essays for
Forbes on dogs I had that passed away. They were
both rescues on how they changed my life. I find
them to be probably, you know, the most inspiring creatures
I ever came.
Speaker 4 (08:08):
In contact with.
Speaker 3 (08:11):
So cool, But tell me quickly about this conference and
what excited you about it and how you got involved
and what you're looking forward.
Speaker 6 (08:18):
To in Starmars. Yes.
Speaker 5 (08:24):
Well, you know, it's the kind of a conference and
it always wants to invite Chaine, and people in my
institute think this is a great opportunity to get the
word out. So I basically go to those conferences to
try and inspire people. It gives me a platform and
maybe I can reach people that I wouldn't be able
(08:47):
to reach otherwise. So that's really do I look forward
to it. I don't look forward to these conferences except
that sometimes I meet friends there.
Speaker 6 (08:58):
But I look upon them as a way of.
Speaker 5 (09:02):
Spreading hope and as I say, reaching other people.
Speaker 3 (09:09):
Fair, I'm just curious, then why don't you look forward
to them? I'm just curious.
Speaker 5 (09:16):
It's jolly hard work. It's really hard work. It's not,
you know, giving a speech. Some people read out a speech.
I make a new one for every single situation. It's
never the same old speech. I've never ever read a
speech in my life unless it's not virtual. And then sometimes,
you know, it's very different when you don't have a
(09:38):
live audience in front of you and you have a
time limit. So but you know, when it's a live audience,
I'm talking to the people, and it's different each time,
and it takes a lot of effort.
Speaker 3 (09:51):
Fair, Okay, I'm gonna let's say it's take over in
one second. But I do want to ask you one
question on that, because it's funny. What are the people
when we talk about inspiration? One of the people that
kind of reminds me of you, and then I'm a
big fan of is Patti Smith, the musician who's an
incredible speaker and incredibly inspiring for you. As you say,
(10:12):
there are you know, you do a different one every time,
and I love that because it feels like a concert.
Are their favorite musicians that you've seen or have inspired
you in the way that they communicate with people?
Speaker 5 (10:24):
Well, I don't know many of them. I don't go
to concerts and I don't really have time. One that
I know really well who inspires me because he's giving
so much to conservation and the environment is Dave Matthews
and he's a really really good friend.
Speaker 4 (10:45):
Yeah, I love Dave.
Speaker 3 (10:46):
Very nice guy, Coole I'm gonna let Sage take over,
and also a great performer.
Speaker 7 (10:51):
It's such an honor to get to speak with you
right now. I wanted to know thank you for doing
this work because it is very hard work, but just
part of your magic, as it is a lot of
a lot of magic, is how you communicate. That to
me is just everything to which the strength and the
(11:12):
immense grace that you give when you communicate these super
important messages. I'm an artist, and I create around the
mantra we are nature, and the more we sever ourselves,
the more we harm. And to me, music is an
amazing communicative tool. And I was curious, as you do
this festival, which really bridges science and the arts, how
(11:34):
you view music and how you can see it as
being a great tool to reconnecting us to the natural world,
which to me is our deepest self.
Speaker 5 (11:45):
Well, you commune this music and music, and a lot
of these concepts are not the music that I like.
I wish that the Labor Day concept in Rome, and
I just got as soon as I got anywhere near
would like to. You know, as I was speaking on
the stage just before Snoop Dog and the noise, the noise,
(12:08):
it nearly kills me. And I have to say the
Snoop Dog one was in Los Angeles, and I think
my little Blue we all got high just on the
smell of skunk that came.
Speaker 6 (12:19):
From the audience. But so you know what I love.
I love classical music.
Speaker 5 (12:25):
I like a lot of country, and I was going
to give him as one musician that I love. He's
in Los Angeles. I think he's something like Ben Harper.
Speaker 4 (12:38):
It is a country Ben is that he's a longtime friend.
Speaker 6 (12:43):
Yeah, well I love his music and.
Speaker 4 (12:45):
He's a great person too.
Speaker 5 (12:48):
Yeah yeah, yeah, I met him and I want to
meet him again, But somehow every time I'm in la
he seems not to be available.
Speaker 3 (12:58):
I know, Ben, I have a few that you know,
he would move heaven and earth to be available if
you wanted to meet him.
Speaker 4 (13:04):
So great guy too.
Speaker 3 (13:17):
You know, it's interesting in general because I think that
you know, like Stage mentioned, she's an artist and talks
about nature and just actually did an essay for Forbes
around a song she's doing that you know, ties into
Earth Day and for you just talk about the importance
the arts have in general of helping get the message out,
because it's very interesting. There's a great singer by the
(13:37):
name of Shirley Manson and the band Garbage, who's a
longtime friend and she has always been a very active feminist,
And she played a show where Fiona Apple, who's a
very respected artist, came up on stage with her and
Shirley and I talked about the fact that for her
it was so inspiring to have another artist of that
caliber come and speak about the issues that were important
(13:58):
to her as a feminist.
Speaker 4 (14:00):
So for you, when you have a Dave Matthews, when you.
Speaker 3 (14:03):
Have a try you know, a Jackson Brown, who are
very involved in the environmental issues, talk about how that
just helps the overall bigger picture and gets your message
up because obviously artists are able to release, are able
to reach so many people, and that applies to film
and books as well.
Speaker 6 (14:21):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (14:21):
Well, I mean a lot of these musicians, very very
well known ones, and when they speak about the environment,
they can reach people that I probably couldn't when I
go to something like Starmer's because there are many people
there who are interested in the arts or part of
(14:44):
the arts. Again, I can reach them just because I'm there,
reach them even if they're not there for me at all,
but they listen, and that very often works. I've definitely
I know it works because they've told me so. So
it's you know, it's give and take, and I just
(15:05):
try and take opportunities to reach the people who wouldn't
actually come to a Jain lecture, but I need to
reach some and that goes for political parties as well.
Speaker 7 (15:17):
I was very happy about the focus on climate change
and how they really pinpointed how animal farming is a
big point in that I feel like it's a very
sensitive subject and I so deeply appreciate how you speak
on the issue. I'm a big advocate for veganism, and
(15:38):
of course it's a very sensitive topic. I was curious
how you reach these conversations, as it is one of
the leading causes of climate change and these terrible environmental
issues that we're facing.
Speaker 5 (15:53):
Well, I simply broach it. I never suggest that somebody
should become vegan or even vegetarian, but I tell them
why I did. And if I'm telling them, well, I
did it at this time and that time, and I'm
not totally pure because some countries it's jolly difficult to
be a vegan, and you know, I do need to
(16:14):
eat to keep up some kind of strength. Even who
doesn't interest me much, so so I just get over
it by starting off why I did it. But I
did it because, you know, I tell them, Gosh, I
read about factory farms. I never knew about it before,
and the next time I looked at meat on my plate,
(16:36):
I thought, gosh, this symbolizers fear, pain, death. I didn't
eat that piece of meat, and I haven't eaten another
piece of meat, and and you know, then if they're interested,
you can go on to talk about the environmental damage.
Then you can go on to say, yes, there are
some minerals and victamens that you can only get that
(17:01):
found it a lot in me. But now there are
supplements so you can actually get everything that you need
for a healthy diet. I know for my son who
spends pages and pages on this email telling me about
all the vitamins and minerals I must eat I must
have in my diet. So my niece said, I think
(17:22):
you could just eat nothing else. You've got so many
pills that is like a whole meal. But it's quite
true that you really can fill in all the different
things that you should be getting to stay healthy.
Speaker 7 (17:38):
We're all deep, deep animal lovers, and the work that
you did and first seeing sentience in our animal kin
was so amazing and unparalleled at the time that you
were publishing. And I'm curious what important area is now
that you'd like to see explored in animal behavior.
Speaker 5 (18:00):
Well, I mean they're being explored. That's the great thing
that now that the door's open and that it's accepted
by science that animals have sentients and emotions right down
to you know, they're now examining it in insects, so
it's all happening. Chimp has opened the door to the
fact that we are not unique, that we're part of
(18:20):
the animal kingdom. And from then on you can now
explore wherever you want to go. You can actually do
a PhD in emotions in rats. For example, we know
about the intelligence of octopuses. Soot a wild tell child students,
this is the most exciting time to study animal behavior
(18:42):
in my lifetime.
Speaker 4 (18:46):
Interesting for you?
Speaker 3 (18:47):
Is there anything that you've seen as this study expands,
studying expands, is there anything you've seen of weight that's
really inspired or excited?
Speaker 2 (18:56):
Ye?
Speaker 6 (18:58):
Sorry? Is there anything more?
Speaker 3 (19:00):
And as you've seen the studying of animals expand, as
you say, it's the most exciting time to do it,
is there anything that you've seen in the studies that
really inspires or excites you? Sorry, it is very early
in LA, but yes, inspires are excites you that you
found in these studies?
Speaker 5 (19:15):
Well, I'm finding it all the time. You just only
need have to and keep an eye on the field.
I mean, we just heard about this around a ten
who put holtics on his cheek injury.
Speaker 6 (19:28):
You know that was new and we're always learning new things.
Speaker 5 (19:32):
Has masters out there, and it's inspiring to know how
much we have to learn. That to me is inspiring.
I mean the fact that trees can communicate, the fact
that insects can learn by watching other insects even if
they haven't been taught. You know, all this is immensely inspiring.
Speaker 6 (19:54):
Cool.
Speaker 3 (19:54):
Well, we do not want to take up too much
of your time. It's so gracious of you to speak
with us as it is. But you know, you started
off talking with the fact that you wanted to deliver
a message. Obviously, through Forbes you're able to deliver a message.
You know, we talked about, hope, what's the number one
message that you want people to take right now? Because
especially you know, not just environmentally, but obviously when we.
Speaker 4 (20:16):
Talk about the dark times.
Speaker 3 (20:18):
There's a lot of political up people in this world,
and there's a lot of in your country.
Speaker 4 (20:25):
Yeah, well in our country, I mean.
Speaker 3 (20:27):
Yeah, I mean, having grown up here, you never would
think that you would see this, but you know it's
a yeah.
Speaker 4 (20:34):
So what's the number one message that you take?
Speaker 6 (20:37):
The most important message?
Speaker 5 (20:39):
Every day you live, every person, you make some impact
on the planet, and you can choose what sort of
impact you make, providing you over about five years, four years,
something like that, and providing you're not in deep poverty,
because if you're in deep poverty, you just have to
(20:59):
do whatever it takes to survive. And that's why I
always mentioned as one of the problems we must solve,
it's not just climate change, loss of biodiversity, factory farming,
and so on, by poverty, over consumption and poverty.
Speaker 4 (21:19):
Cool. Was there anything that you want to add we
did not ask you about.
Speaker 5 (21:24):
No, it probably Muster's but my voice won't last and
I've got another appointment and you can look this up.
But a little while ago the wet there was a
story in the media about a dog in Turkey. He
was just traveling around and around and around. It was
called Bogboji. You can google him. And I contacted our
(21:47):
roots and Choots groups in Turkey and they put it
out on Turkish social media. And right now I'm going
to go and meet him. He's being adopted and so
that's going to be very exciting. And my best birthday
was meeting ninety dogs on the beach in California for
(22:10):
my birthday, ninety dog greeting.
Speaker 4 (22:14):
That's literal happened.
Speaker 6 (22:15):
But yeah, that was in Carmel.
Speaker 4 (22:19):
Yeah, it's beautiful there as well. Well, again, we both
thank you so much.
Speaker 3 (22:23):
It's such a tremendous honor to get to speak with you,
and you know, your optimism and hope is incredibly inspiring
and very necessary in these dark times, so I appreciate
you getting that message out there.
Speaker 6 (22:36):
Yeah, well that's great speaking to both of you.
Speaker 5 (22:39):
Fine,
Hey, this is Steve Balton.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
Hello, I'm Sage Bava.
Speaker 1 (00:10):
And this is in service of a new podcast dedicated
to speaking with artists and change makers on how being
in service influences their work and their creative process.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
We're so excited to share this conversation with doctor Jane Goodall.
Jane is renowned for her groundbreaking work with chimpanzees in
the wild, where she transformed our understanding of these incredible
beings and their complex societies, as well as proving the
undeniable sentience in all living beings. She is a deep
advocate for animal welfare and conservation and has an amazing
(00:47):
message of hope.
Speaker 3 (00:59):
Is beyond an honor for both of us that you
are doing this. And this, by the way, is Sage Bava,
who is an incredible artist and activist.
Speaker 4 (01:08):
But great pleasure to meet you.
Speaker 3 (01:11):
You were saying that you know doing well in these
troubling times, and you know, it's an interesting thing. And
I was thinking about it during the night when I
could not sleep, and I was watching videos of you
at three in.
Speaker 4 (01:22):
The morning, LA time.
Speaker 3 (01:23):
And you know, one of the things that I thought
was so interesting is the fact that you do still
offer hope and you do still talk about the fact
that you believe in things. Where does that come from
for you? And can you tell us some of the
things that you've seen of late that do give you
this hope?
Speaker 5 (01:43):
Well, first of all, I truly believe I was put
on this planet with a mission, and the mission right
now was to give is to give people hope. Previously
is to wake people up about the state of the environment,
and that's still the case is now as well. But
if people don't have hope, then why bother and then
(02:05):
we're doomed. So giving people hope? And what do I
say to people who come and say, oh, it's no good.
Speaker 6 (02:14):
What can I do on one person?
Speaker 5 (02:16):
The problems of the planet are so many, and you
hear think globally, act locally.
Speaker 6 (02:22):
That's wrong.
Speaker 5 (02:23):
You should think locally. I tell them, think about something
you can actually do that you care about in your community.
And you can't solve the problems of the world. Nobody can.
But is this something that you really would like to
make a difference in and get some friends together. So
if they do that, maybe it's clearing up litter, maybe
(02:46):
it's raising money for some charity, Maybe it's volunteering to
look after stray dogs or cats or something like that,
and you will find that you can make a difference.
Bring in new friends. Then you will find that you're
making even more difference, and that will inspire you to
(03:07):
do more and to bring others in. And then having
acted locally and seen that you make a difference, then
you can start thinking, well, as all these other people
like me, and they're all acting all around the world,
and so then you dare to think globally. I don't
(03:27):
know if that makes sense, but you know, the reasons
for hope are the young people. We've got our Roots
and Juts program in seventy countries now, all ages from
preschool through university, and they are changing the world. Secondly,
this amazing intellect, we're beginning at last to use it
(03:49):
for renewable energy and other ways we can live in
greater harmony with the natural world. And we're beginning to
think about our own environmental footsteps as we go through
each day, realizing that we make an impact, and then
realizing that millions of small impacts make big change. And
(04:11):
then there's the resilience of nature. The places we've destroyed,
give them a chance and nature will come back. Maybe
need a bit of help. And there's so many examples
of that, animals on the brink of extinction that can
be given another chance. You've got the California condor, for example,
(04:32):
and that was down to twelve birds, and through captive
breeding and release, there's now it's over two hundred. And
then finally, there's what I call the indomitable spirit, that
people who tackle what seems impossible and won't give up
and somehow find a way. And they're people who tackle,
(04:53):
you know, sometimes it's a political thing, like Nelson Mandela
or Martin Luther King. Sometimes it's people who overcome tremendous
physical disabilities or social disadvantages and they just become very
inspirational because of what they do.
Speaker 3 (05:14):
It's interesting, there's a lot in there, and it's very
beautiful and inspiring. It's funny for you when you think
about it over the years, and that ties in nicely
with we're talking about the Starmis Conference, which you are
participating in next week. In delivering the speech, who are
some of the people that inspire you with their indomitable
spirit or have over the years, Because everybody, no matter what,
(05:36):
needs inspirations, and I'm sure there were those people for
you that you inspired you.
Speaker 5 (05:45):
Well, when I was young, I was incredibly inspired by
my grandmother and the thing she tackled. I was inspired
by my uncle who treated they wounded in London during
the Blitz and work sometimes all night, day after day.
Speaker 6 (06:04):
More recently, I'm really.
Speaker 5 (06:06):
Inspired by Mohammed Yunis, who's raised millions out of poverty.
And you know, there are other people and all the
time there are these young young people in roots and
shoots or other youth groups incredibly inspiring. And I've known
African kids born into total poverty who somehow, through sheer,
(06:30):
hard work and you know, determination to learn, have reached
a much higher position in society than anybody thought they
ever could. And the great thing is we all have
an indomitable spirit. Only most people are afraid to even
think about it. They're afraid to take action there, they're
(06:52):
afraid to come out of their shell.
Speaker 4 (06:57):
Yeah. No, it's interesting.
Speaker 3 (06:58):
I think that we'll talk about this conference for a
second and then I'm gonna let stage it up in
But for you, you know, like what inspired you to
do this and some of the other thinkers there that
you are inspired to be. And I love the fact
by the way though, that you focus on family and
you focus on younger people who inspire you, because again,
(07:20):
I think the most inspiring people oftentimes are the people
either close to you or you know, just random people
that you come in contact with, rather than you know,
it's important to give credit to that because, as you say,
those are the people who really can change the world.
Speaker 5 (07:37):
Yeah, and I'm inspired by a lot of animals tooly
inspiring with what they overcome and then is superly inspiring.
Speaker 3 (07:49):
Actually, most of the time we're more inspiring the people,
very real, familiar. Yeah. I've actually written two essays for
Forbes on dogs I had that passed away. They were
both rescues on how they changed my life. I find
them to be probably, you know, the most inspiring creatures
I ever came.
Speaker 4 (08:08):
In contact with.
Speaker 3 (08:11):
So cool, But tell me quickly about this conference and
what excited you about it and how you got involved
and what you're looking forward.
Speaker 6 (08:18):
To in Starmars. Yes.
Speaker 5 (08:24):
Well, you know, it's the kind of a conference and
it always wants to invite Chaine, and people in my
institute think this is a great opportunity to get the
word out. So I basically go to those conferences to
try and inspire people. It gives me a platform and
maybe I can reach people that I wouldn't be able
(08:47):
to reach otherwise. So that's really do I look forward
to it. I don't look forward to these conferences except
that sometimes I meet friends there.
Speaker 6 (08:58):
But I look upon them as a way of.
Speaker 5 (09:02):
Spreading hope and as I say, reaching other people.
Speaker 3 (09:09):
Fair, I'm just curious, then why don't you look forward
to them? I'm just curious.
Speaker 5 (09:16):
It's jolly hard work. It's really hard work. It's not,
you know, giving a speech. Some people read out a speech.
I make a new one for every single situation. It's
never the same old speech. I've never ever read a
speech in my life unless it's not virtual. And then sometimes,
you know, it's very different when you don't have a
(09:38):
live audience in front of you and you have a
time limit. So but you know, when it's a live audience,
I'm talking to the people, and it's different each time,
and it takes a lot of effort.
Speaker 3 (09:51):
Fair, Okay, I'm gonna let's say it's take over in
one second. But I do want to ask you one
question on that, because it's funny. What are the people
when we talk about inspiration? One of the people that
kind of reminds me of you, and then I'm a
big fan of is Patti Smith, the musician who's an
incredible speaker and incredibly inspiring for you. As you say,
(10:12):
there are you know, you do a different one every time,
and I love that because it feels like a concert.
Are their favorite musicians that you've seen or have inspired
you in the way that they communicate with people?
Speaker 5 (10:24):
Well, I don't know many of them. I don't go
to concerts and I don't really have time. One that
I know really well who inspires me because he's giving
so much to conservation and the environment is Dave Matthews
and he's a really really good friend.
Speaker 4 (10:45):
Yeah, I love Dave.
Speaker 3 (10:46):
Very nice guy, Coole I'm gonna let Sage take over,
and also a great performer.
Speaker 7 (10:51):
It's such an honor to get to speak with you
right now. I wanted to know thank you for doing
this work because it is very hard work, but just
part of your magic, as it is a lot of
a lot of magic, is how you communicate. That to
me is just everything to which the strength and the
(11:12):
immense grace that you give when you communicate these super
important messages. I'm an artist, and I create around the
mantra we are nature, and the more we sever ourselves,
the more we harm. And to me, music is an
amazing communicative tool. And I was curious, as you do
this festival, which really bridges science and the arts, how
(11:34):
you view music and how you can see it as
being a great tool to reconnecting us to the natural world,
which to me is our deepest self.
Speaker 5 (11:45):
Well, you commune this music and music, and a lot
of these concepts are not the music that I like.
I wish that the Labor Day concept in Rome, and
I just got as soon as I got anywhere near
would like to. You know, as I was speaking on
the stage just before Snoop Dog and the noise, the noise,
(12:08):
it nearly kills me. And I have to say the
Snoop Dog one was in Los Angeles, and I think
my little Blue we all got high just on the
smell of skunk that came.
Speaker 6 (12:19):
From the audience. But so you know what I love.
I love classical music.
Speaker 5 (12:25):
I like a lot of country, and I was going
to give him as one musician that I love. He's
in Los Angeles. I think he's something like Ben Harper.
Speaker 4 (12:38):
It is a country Ben is that he's a longtime friend.
Speaker 6 (12:43):
Yeah, well I love his music and.
Speaker 4 (12:45):
He's a great person too.
Speaker 5 (12:48):
Yeah yeah, yeah, I met him and I want to
meet him again, But somehow every time I'm in la
he seems not to be available.
Speaker 3 (12:58):
I know, Ben, I have a few that you know,
he would move heaven and earth to be available if
you wanted to meet him.
Speaker 4 (13:04):
So great guy too.
Speaker 3 (13:17):
You know, it's interesting in general because I think that
you know, like Stage mentioned, she's an artist and talks
about nature and just actually did an essay for Forbes
around a song she's doing that you know, ties into
Earth Day and for you just talk about the importance
the arts have in general of helping get the message out,
because it's very interesting. There's a great singer by the
(13:37):
name of Shirley Manson and the band Garbage, who's a
longtime friend and she has always been a very active feminist,
And she played a show where Fiona Apple, who's a
very respected artist, came up on stage with her and
Shirley and I talked about the fact that for her
it was so inspiring to have another artist of that
caliber come and speak about the issues that were important
(13:58):
to her as a feminist.
Speaker 4 (14:00):
So for you, when you have a Dave Matthews, when you.
Speaker 3 (14:03):
Have a try you know, a Jackson Brown, who are
very involved in the environmental issues, talk about how that
just helps the overall bigger picture and gets your message
up because obviously artists are able to release, are able
to reach so many people, and that applies to film
and books as well.
Speaker 6 (14:21):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (14:21):
Well, I mean a lot of these musicians, very very
well known ones, and when they speak about the environment,
they can reach people that I probably couldn't when I
go to something like Starmer's because there are many people
there who are interested in the arts or part of
(14:44):
the arts. Again, I can reach them just because I'm there,
reach them even if they're not there for me at all,
but they listen, and that very often works. I've definitely
I know it works because they've told me so. So
it's you know, it's give and take, and I just
(15:05):
try and take opportunities to reach the people who wouldn't
actually come to a Jain lecture, but I need to
reach some and that goes for political parties as well.
Speaker 7 (15:17):
I was very happy about the focus on climate change
and how they really pinpointed how animal farming is a
big point in that I feel like it's a very
sensitive subject and I so deeply appreciate how you speak
on the issue. I'm a big advocate for veganism, and
(15:38):
of course it's a very sensitive topic. I was curious
how you reach these conversations, as it is one of
the leading causes of climate change and these terrible environmental
issues that we're facing.
Speaker 5 (15:53):
Well, I simply broach it. I never suggest that somebody
should become vegan or even vegetarian, but I tell them
why I did. And if I'm telling them, well, I
did it at this time and that time, and I'm
not totally pure because some countries it's jolly difficult to
be a vegan, and you know, I do need to
(16:14):
eat to keep up some kind of strength. Even who
doesn't interest me much, so so I just get over
it by starting off why I did it. But I
did it because, you know, I tell them, Gosh, I
read about factory farms. I never knew about it before,
and the next time I looked at meat on my plate,
(16:36):
I thought, gosh, this symbolizers fear, pain, death. I didn't
eat that piece of meat, and I haven't eaten another
piece of meat, and and you know, then if they're interested,
you can go on to talk about the environmental damage.
Then you can go on to say, yes, there are
some minerals and victamens that you can only get that
(17:01):
found it a lot in me. But now there are
supplements so you can actually get everything that you need
for a healthy diet. I know for my son who
spends pages and pages on this email telling me about
all the vitamins and minerals I must eat I must
have in my diet. So my niece said, I think
(17:22):
you could just eat nothing else. You've got so many
pills that is like a whole meal. But it's quite
true that you really can fill in all the different
things that you should be getting to stay healthy.
Speaker 7 (17:38):
We're all deep, deep animal lovers, and the work that
you did and first seeing sentience in our animal kin
was so amazing and unparalleled at the time that you
were publishing. And I'm curious what important area is now
that you'd like to see explored in animal behavior.
Speaker 5 (18:00):
Well, I mean they're being explored. That's the great thing
that now that the door's open and that it's accepted
by science that animals have sentients and emotions right down
to you know, they're now examining it in insects, so
it's all happening. Chimp has opened the door to the
fact that we are not unique, that we're part of
(18:20):
the animal kingdom. And from then on you can now
explore wherever you want to go. You can actually do
a PhD in emotions in rats. For example, we know
about the intelligence of octopuses. Soot a wild tell child students,
this is the most exciting time to study animal behavior
(18:42):
in my lifetime.
Speaker 4 (18:46):
Interesting for you?
Speaker 3 (18:47):
Is there anything that you've seen as this study expands,
studying expands, is there anything you've seen of weight that's
really inspired or excited?
Speaker 2 (18:56):
Ye?
Speaker 6 (18:58):
Sorry? Is there anything more?
Speaker 3 (19:00):
And as you've seen the studying of animals expand, as
you say, it's the most exciting time to do it,
is there anything that you've seen in the studies that
really inspires or excites you? Sorry, it is very early
in LA, but yes, inspires are excites you that you
found in these studies?
Speaker 5 (19:15):
Well, I'm finding it all the time. You just only
need have to and keep an eye on the field.
I mean, we just heard about this around a ten
who put holtics on his cheek injury.
Speaker 6 (19:28):
You know that was new and we're always learning new things.
Speaker 5 (19:32):
Has masters out there, and it's inspiring to know how
much we have to learn. That to me is inspiring.
I mean the fact that trees can communicate, the fact
that insects can learn by watching other insects even if
they haven't been taught. You know, all this is immensely inspiring.
Speaker 6 (19:54):
Cool.
Speaker 3 (19:54):
Well, we do not want to take up too much
of your time. It's so gracious of you to speak
with us as it is. But you know, you started
off talking with the fact that you wanted to deliver
a message. Obviously, through Forbes you're able to deliver a message.
You know, we talked about, hope, what's the number one
message that you want people to take right now? Because
especially you know, not just environmentally, but obviously when we.
Speaker 4 (20:16):
Talk about the dark times.
Speaker 3 (20:18):
There's a lot of political up people in this world,
and there's a lot of in your country.
Speaker 4 (20:25):
Yeah, well in our country, I mean.
Speaker 3 (20:27):
Yeah, I mean, having grown up here, you never would
think that you would see this, but you know it's
a yeah.
Speaker 4 (20:34):
So what's the number one message that you take?
Speaker 6 (20:37):
The most important message?
Speaker 5 (20:39):
Every day you live, every person, you make some impact
on the planet, and you can choose what sort of
impact you make, providing you over about five years, four years,
something like that, and providing you're not in deep poverty,
because if you're in deep poverty, you just have to
(20:59):
do whatever it takes to survive. And that's why I
always mentioned as one of the problems we must solve,
it's not just climate change, loss of biodiversity, factory farming,
and so on, by poverty, over consumption and poverty.
Speaker 4 (21:19):
Cool. Was there anything that you want to add we
did not ask you about.
Speaker 5 (21:24):
No, it probably Muster's but my voice won't last and
I've got another appointment and you can look this up.
But a little while ago the wet there was a
story in the media about a dog in Turkey. He
was just traveling around and around and around. It was
called Bogboji. You can google him. And I contacted our
(21:47):
roots and Choots groups in Turkey and they put it
out on Turkish social media. And right now I'm going
to go and meet him. He's being adopted and so
that's going to be very exciting. And my best birthday
was meeting ninety dogs on the beach in California for
(22:10):
my birthday, ninety dog greeting.
Speaker 4 (22:14):
That's literal happened.
Speaker 6 (22:15):
But yeah, that was in Carmel.
Speaker 4 (22:19):
Yeah, it's beautiful there as well. Well, again, we both
thank you so much.
Speaker 3 (22:23):
It's such a tremendous honor to get to speak with you,
and you know, your optimism and hope is incredibly inspiring
and very necessary in these dark times, so I appreciate
you getting that message out there.
Speaker 6 (22:36):
Yeah, well that's great speaking to both of you.
Speaker 5 (22:39):
Fine,
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