Category Archives: Sentience

Thoughts on the price of folly

Posted on September 12, 2019 by There's an Elephant in the Room

Planet Earth is experiencing an escalation of extreme weather events. This escalation will continue for as long as we fail so utterly to grasp that one of the main causes – if not the main cause – is our own … Continue reading →

Posted in Global disasters, Sentience | Tagged anger, animal agriculture, climate crisis, climate disaster, death, death row, disaster, disease, disgust, ecological disaster, fire, flood, Flooding, folly, images, sentience, slaughter | 2 Comments

On living our values

Posted on October 2, 2018 by There's an Elephant in the Room

It is not necessary for human animals to use other animals for any reason, and only those unaware of the science, or those who have a vested financial interest in keeping us from realising the truth, will tell us different. … Continue reading →

Posted in consumer demand, Sentience | Tagged abdicating responsibility, bred for eating, bred for eggs, bred for milk, conscience, harm, mutilating, protection, responsibility, sentience, slaughtering, Using, values, well-being | 1 Comment

Plants feel, fish feel, cows feel – but we have to eat

Posted on March 16, 2018 by There's an Elephant in the Room

‘Plants feel, fish feel, cows feel – but we have to eat.’ This was a comment made on a recent post promoting veganism. It’s almost possible to hear the dismissive shrug at the end. It’s another of these sentences that … Continue reading →

Posted in Addressing resistance to change, Health and plant based eating, Sentience | Tagged breast feeding, Chickens and eggs, commodification, consumer demand, dairy, feed conversion ratio, harm, health, human superiority, oppression, plants, plants tho, resources, rights, sentience, speciesism, vegan, veganism, victims | 1 Comment

Sentience – what does it actually mean?

Posted on November 22, 2017 by There's an Elephant in the Room

We frequently see it stated that the individuals whose lives, bodies, and reproductive systems we use, are sentient. So what actually is sentience? Human animals and the vast majority of other animal species that our species uses, harms and kills, … Continue reading →

Posted in FAQ, Sentience, What is ...? | Tagged anthropomorphism, commodification, consumer demand, harm, human superiority, humane, justice, resources, sentience, slaughter, speciesism, Torture, veganism, victims, violence, welfare | 45 Comments

This wonderful life

Posted on June 12, 2017 by There's an Elephant in the Room

So often, I see fanciful claims that in causing our victims to exist by our self-interested contrivance and our brutal violation of their reproductive systems, we are generously bestowing a gift on them that they would otherwise not have the … Continue reading →

Posted in Advocacy, Sentience | Tagged Chickens and eggs, commodification, consumer demand, Cruelty, health, human superiority, milk, resources, respect, sentience, slaughter, speciesism, vegan, veganism, victims, violence | 6 Comments

‘Humane’ and other fantasies

Posted on November 25, 2016 by There's an Elephant in the Room

When we use products derived from others, we can’t bear to think of harm being done to these gentle individuals who do not share our species and whom we have caused to exist and have confined for our use. Oh goodness no, … Continue reading →

Posted in Awakening to veganism, Sentience | Tagged cheese, Chickens and eggs, commodification, consumer demand, Cruelty, dairy, decency, harm, human superiority, humane, justice, milk, nonviolence, resources, sentience, slaughter, speciesism, violence | 9 Comments

One little hen

Posted on July 24, 2016 by There's an Elephant in the Room

A little hen. Picture her as she huddles in the crowded press of tattered and wounded bodies, crouched in the fetid stench of ammonia. Her mind may be whirling with complex thoughts and memories; but in her entire experience of … Continue reading →

Posted in Advocacy, Chickens and eggs, Sentience | Tagged chickens, Chickens and eggs, consumer demand, hens, justice, respect, sanctuary, sentience, vegan, violence | 5 Comments

Bright Aisles, Dark Alleys

Posted on February 17, 2015 by There's an Elephant in the Room

Originally posted on Great Middle Way:
―a brief address by Tashi Nyima to the Richardson Interfaith Alliance (TX) during the Thanksgiving Observance There is a quote in tonight’s program that reads: “Having abandoned the taking of life, refraining from the…

Posted in Sentience | Tagged commodification, consumer demand, veganism, violence | Leave a comment

Loving all animals

Posted on December 30, 2014 by There's an Elephant in the Room

This morning, one of the cats who share my home is ill and I’m counting the minutes until our appointment with the vet. I don’t know what’s wrong but as I gaze into her stricken eyes, I see faith and … Continue reading →

Posted in Nonhuman family members, Sentience, Speciesism | Tagged commodification, sentience, speciesism, vegan | 4 Comments

Is comparing humans and nonhumans justified?

Posted on November 1, 2014 by There's an Elephant in the Room

Sentience is all that matters So often when I speak to nonvegans they smirk, and then they tell me, ‘stop all this talk of suffering and exploitation, I think you’re taking things to extremes, comparing humans with other animals’. This … Continue reading →

Posted in Sentience, Speciesism | Tagged extremism, moral choices, sentience, speciesism, veganism | 1 Comment