Exceptions
This is our greatest challenge
Since my last essay in March, I’ve been extremely busy writing in other fora. Particularly, I’ve been scripting and recording the third season of my podcast, Think Like a Vegan, which begins airing on 12 June. And I’ve also recently submitted to my publisher, Unbound, a detailed update for the paperback issue of my book, Think Like a Vegan. The paperback will be published in January 2025. I’m thrilled about that. The update is in the form of an afterword and it packs a heckuva punch. It’s a mini book and one early reader has suggested it’s a springboard for a second book. He may be right. Researching, writing, editing and recording are intense activities, but I didn’t want to let May pass without sharing a thought here
And it’s this
Until we stop making exceptions for “others” - all others, everyone, including non-human animals - for things for them which we would neither want for ourselves nor done to us, we human-animals will forever suffer. This is the single challenge preceding all others and our greatest downfall as a species
There will be those who will make bad faith arguments arguing their exception is the one that’s acceptable. Let them. When life seizes its grievous crosshairs on them, may fairness, justice, mercy and compassion find them
Meanwhile, create solidarity wherever you can. Find those who want to listen, those who want to learn, to change, to embody a different world. And keep looking for them