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Author:

Wayne Hsiung

Published on:

September 23, 2013

Anti-Speciesism Undercurrents in Cinema




DxE Organizer Kelly Witwicki Faddegon presents on the fragments of nonspeciesist and even liberationist ideologies that can be seen throughout contemporary filmmaking. Kelly argues that we are not born with speciesism -- it must be taught, like racism -- and everyone who has thus far "made the connection" has been able to unlearn it because ultimately, Kelly's idea goes, the compassion for all sentient beings that humans are born with cannot be untaught, it can only be repressed into dormancy. Therefore there is always hope of waking it up again! These moments in art that express the impulse to show compassion for all beings demonstrate the strength of that impulse, shining through no matter how tightly the "blinders" forced on us by the animal exploitation industries (and our speciesist culture more broadly) are drilled into us.

See a standalone PDF version of the talk by clicking here