“Where there are people, there are flies. And Buddhas” - Kobayashi Issa.
Last Saturday, as we were walking towards the Buddhist temple at Sellick’s Beach, I was bothered by the number of flies.
The temple is next to pasture land. With so many cows within walking distance from the car park, you can imagine why there are so many flies when you get out of the car.
And, being in a place of worship where “killing” in any form is forbidden, I hopelessly waved my hands around like a madman as I hurried towards the temple kitchen.
It was our usual routine to help prepare for Sunday lunch.
My lovely wife said to me, “Why do you let them bother you? Just ignore it…” as I spat one out.
Summer is here.
Why flies?
I hate flies. Unlike in Singapore, flies here are indestructible. I have noticed frequently where I would swat a fly and was certain that I had killed it, onl’s gone. Gone where? I think it flew away. I didn’t quite hit it hard enough.
In Singapore, a gentle tap and they’re dead. Here, you need a hammer.
But why flies?
I know they’re a part of our ecosystem, but are they really necessary? They spread disease and can make you very sick. They contaminate everything, annoy you, and are often associated with decay and death.
If I could, with the wave of a wand, kill every single fly in the entire world, what would happen?
I wonder...
What would happen if all the flies died?
Imagine for a moment that all the flies in the world disappeared overnight. Imagine this: no more swatting or buzzing or spitting them out when they get into your mouth. What would it be like?
Very, very, bad. Apparently.
Did you know…
That flies belong to the order Diptera, which is one of the largest orders in the animal kingdom. There are approximately 120,000 described species of flies worldwide. However, the total number of fly species, including those not yet discovered or described, could be significantly higher, possibly exceeding 1 million.
One Week
Within one week, the absence of flies would affect us in subtle but critical ways. Dead kangaroos along the expressway and dog shit along the Esplanade would accumulate.
Dead rats under the car porch, half-eaten birds in gardens, would stay around much longer, creating unpleasant sights and potential health risks. There would also be a noticeable increase in foul odours because of the slower breakdown of organic material.
Flies, it seems, also play an important role in pollinating certain plants, and their absence would affect their reproduction, leading to reduced growth and productivity, eventually.
But immediately, other scavengers, such as beetles and ants, would struggle to keep up with the increased volume of decaying matter, slowing down nutrient recycling.
Without flies breaking down these materials and recycling nutrients back into the soil, decomposition would slow dramatically. The first brick of the ecological domino falls in our direction.
One Month
After a month, the effects would ripple through the ecosystem.
Creatures that rely on flies as a vital food source, like birds, amphibians, spiders, and other insects, would die of hunger. Or they would go after other insects, like bees and cute little ladybugs.
Predators further up the food chain, who depended on those feeding on flies, will also struggle to find enough food. The population of some animals will decline, kicking off a chain reaction.
And it will get worse as it moves closer up towards us.
In addition, the build-up of decomposing organic matter would attract different scavengers, potentially leading to an increase in rodents and other pests, creating new challenges for both natural and urban environments.
The pollination of certain plants would further decline, affecting the growth and health of vegetation, which could influence agricultural productivity and biodiversity.
The balance would tip, and like dominoes, everything would collapse towards us.
One Year
A year without flies would lead to dramatic, long-term consequences.
Decomposition would come to a near standstill, with piles of organic waste, dead animals, and rotting plant matter accumulating everywhere.
The stench of decay would become unbearable as bacteria and other pathogens multiply unchecked, leading to widespread outbreaks of disease.
The air would become heavy with the rancid odour of rotten things, especially in areas where sanitation relies on these natural decomposers.
Without flies to help break down waste, water sources would become contaminated, leading to a public health crisis.
The temple at Sellicks Beach will be uninhabitable. As will every other place on earth.
And who would have guessed that without flies, diseases like cholera, dysentery, and other waterborne illnesses would spread rapidly, affecting humans and animals. The build-up of waste would also lead to an explosion in populations of other pests like rats and cockroaches, further exacerbating the spread of disease and making living conditions intolerable in many areas.
The collapse of the food web would continue to deepen. Birds, amphibians, reptiles, and mammals that rely on flies and their larvae would suffer massive die-offs, causing a chain reaction that ripples up the food chain. Towards us.
The resulting ecological collapse would leave many species extinct or on the brink of extinction.
Agriculture would also be severely impacted. With the continued decline in pollination, crops would fail, leading to food shortages and rising prices.
The biodiversity of plants would diminish, and the productivity of farms would plummet. The combination of food scarcity, disease, and ecological collapse would make the world inhospitable.
This would be the “end of times”.
A philosophical perspective
So, thank goodness we still have flies.
Annoying as they are, they serve as a metaphor for the necessity of irritating and negative elements in life.
I sometimes think about all the unpleasant and annoying things and people who crossed my path. Like flies. Although I cannot truly appreciate these, in my heart, I recognise that they play a role in my spiritual ecology.
Without these, I couldn’t have become who I am now.
Some of these, annoying as they may have been, serve the role of forcing me to remove attachments and entanglements that should have been recycled out of existence a long time ago.
Consider discomfort and failure in our lives. Like flies, they may break down old habits, force us to face reality, and even pave the way for transformation and growth.
They recycle nutrients that enrich our character and offer us insights and resilience if we let them.
“One must still have chaos in oneself to be able to give birth
to a dancing star.” — Friedrich Nietzsche
Chaos, discomfort, and even annoyance are often the catalysts for growth. They remind us that not everything valuable is pleasant.
Marcus Aurelius, in his Meditations, reflects on accepting reality as it is, including all of its unpleasant parts.
“You have power over your mind, not outside events.
Realise this, and you will find strength.” — Marcus Aurelius
And my wife said, “Why do you let them bother you? Just ignore it.”
Accepting “flies” teaches us to find purpose amidst the chaos of the world. The concept of Amor Fati, the love of one’s fate, encourages us to embrace all, including the inconvenient and challenging aspects of our lives.
Flies remind us of this necessity.
Flies also remind us of the interconnectedness of all things. No matter how insignificant something may seem, it plays a role in the grand scheme of things.
This interdependence reflects our own lives, where every person, every experience, good or bad, contributes to our journey. And annoyances, setbacks, and moments of despair help us grow, connect, and find meaning.
Finding Beauty in the Necessary
More than just agents of decay, flies offer a spiritual lesson in finding beauty in the unpleasant.
In many spiritual traditions, annoying elements are usually seen as an opportunity for growth, reflection, and even enlightenment.
This reminds me of the Buddhist concept of suffering and how it is an integral part of life. Suffering, like flies, exists alongside us. By accepting and embracing these discomforts, we can find growth and peace.
A spiritual journey is one of transformation, and suffering is much like the role flies play. They transform decay into nourishment, breaking down what is no longer needed and turning it into something valuable.
Finding beauty in the necessary is about recognising that every experience, no matter how painful, contributes to our evolution.
The balance of everything
Now, I am less bothered by flies.
I accept that “flies” are a part of our spiritual ecology. Just as they serve a purpose in nature, so do the nuisances and difficulties in our lives. These people and events are catalysts for transformation, pushing us to confront what is unpleasant and, ultimately, helping us grow.
They remind us of the need to embrace both the light and the dark, the good and the bad. They help us develop resilience, patience, and a deeper understanding of the interconnectedness of all things. And of ourselves.
By acknowledging the “flies” in our lives, we learn to transform our troubles into opportunities.
Although I do not hate them, I will still swat at them if they get too comfortable. I have no guilt about bringing out the insecticide, and if I grab one in my hand, I will kill it.
I guess flies have to accept that I am also part of their ecology.
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