It is unfortunate that part of human nature is to feel less compassion for those who are different from us than for people like ourselves. People have often asked exactly what we mean by “our own kind.” Do we mean those of the same nationality, race, religion, tribe, or species?
In my view, the boundary between species is no less arbitrary than any of those other boundaries. I would like to tell the story of a Holocaust survivor who emigrated to the United States and rented an apartment above a slaughterhouse. He said that what he saw in the slaughterhouse every day was precisely why he had left Nazi Germany: indifference to others’ suffering simply because they were considered different from us.
Continue with these questions:
- How can some animal-rights activists consider other animals our equals?
- Is it insulting to compare humans with animals?
- Should we focus on human problems before worrying about animals?
- What if you were in a burning building and could save only your child or your dog?
More answers: Vegan Ethics FAQ.