To see the convulsions, agonies and tortures of a poor…
“To see the convulsions, agonies and tortures of a poor fellow-creature, whom they cannot restore nor recompense, dying to gratify luxury and tickle callous and rank organs, must require a rocky heart, and a great degree of cruelty and ferocity. I cannot find any great difference between feeding on human flesh and feeding on animal flesh, except custom and practice.”
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Seeing extreme suffering for luxury reveals deep cruelty; the line between eating animal or human flesh blurs under custom.
In simple terms: Luxury can cause cruel indifference to suffering.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and oppose cruelty in all forms.
Themes
ethics
cruelty
animal rights
humanism
custom
luxury
Mood
critical
somber
provocative
Type
Agony:1
Animal:1
Animal - rights:1
Animals:1
Callous:1
Creatures:1
Cruelty:1
Customs:1
Degrees:0
Differences:0
Dying:0
Feeding:0
Fellows:0
Ferocity:1
Flesh:0
Heart:0
Humans:0
Luxury:1
Organs:0
Poor:0
Practice:0
Recompense:0
Torture:0
Human Flesh:0
Animal Flesh:0
Flesh Feeding:0
Cruelty Ferocity:1
When to use this quote
- dietary choices
- philanthropy
- policy making
- personal consumption
Key Concepts
moral relativism
dehumanization
compassion
social conditioning
Questions to Reflect On
- What justifies treating animals differently?
- How does luxury influence moral choices?
A Different Perspective
Some argue human-animal distinctions are morally relevant.