suicidal whales

dude. why did these perfectly nice, and mostly healthy, whales all beach themselves simultaneously? (story)
who knows? and yet...i think this is final proof that whales and dolphins are the intellectual and spiritual equals of you and me. really, the only difference between us and the so-called lower animals is that we kill ourselves. these guys might have been part of a suicide cult a la jim jones. or maybe they just collectively started contemplating the abyss that is a world and life without god, without meaning, without truth. either way, it's a remarkably hopeful sign.