“For me, it’s about doing the best thing possible for the animal.” Animal rights activist and filmmaker Ryuji Chua discusses changing his views to see animals as a someone and not a something, analyzing evidence that shows fish feel, play and have families just like cats and dogs, and getting informed on the suffering humans cause when farming animals for food.

Fantastic video! Especially on a show with such great reach like the Daily Show with Trevor Noah.

I will likely watch this a few more times as I study how to appropriately respond to non-vegans about why we should avoid harming our fellow Earthlings.

It’s interesting to note that Ryuji only focused on the empathy angle. Said nothing about the environment, health, or even a morality viewpoint… Just empathy.

Indeed, empathy is the reason the US and other countries have laws against the abuse of recognized pets.

This leads into my current (long-game) strategy for my twin boys. Take them to see animals at the zoo (even though I hate that zoos are exploiting them). It’s somewhere they can get first hand experience and build empathy. If they can emotionally connect with how animals feel, then they can appreciate that all Earthlings desire to avoid pain. To share the familial bonds in safe quarters.

If one can acknowledge the pain felt and empathize with a beloved pet, then surely one could recognize how other animals are not that different on an emotional level from you and I.

You may not believe other animals can have a cogent thought, but that should not diminish their capacity to feel and express pain. All Earthlings, especially mammals, are conscious of their existence and any pain therein. Don’t deny their feelings to satisfy one’s own desires.

Let us consider all animals with a conscious. Stop treating them as property and exploitable as food. Would you want to be treated any differently?