Animal Quote by George Bernard Shaw
“We cut the throat of a calf and hang it up by the heels to bleed to death so that our veal cutlet may be white; we nail geese to a board and cram them with food because we like the taste of liver disease; we tear birds to pieces to decorate our women's hats; we mutilate domestic animals for no reason at all except to follow an instinctively cruel fashion; and we connive at the most abominable tortures in the hope of discovering some magical cure for our own diseases by them.”
About This Quote
Source Play: Pygmalion, 1912
The quote condemns animal cruelty justified by fashion and false promises of medical cures, exposing moral hypocrisy.
In simple terms: People harm animals for vanity and false hopes.
Key Takeaway
Reject cruelty and demand ethical alternatives.
Themes
animal rights
ethics
fashion
medicine
hypocrisy
Mood
ouful
critical
Type
ethical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- fashion design
- medical research
- culinary industry
- pet ownership
Key Concepts
utilitarianism
speciesism
moral philosophy
Questions to Reflect On
- How can societies shift values away from cruelty?
- What alternatives replace harmful traditions?
A Different Perspective
Progress may be limited by entrenched cultural norms.
![“Goose [pen] bee [wax] and calf [parchment] govern the world. [Lat., Anser, apie, vitellus, populus et regna gubernant.]” quote by James Howell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d9b/james-howell-15254_bees_goose-pen-bee-wax-and-calf-parchment-gov_1566510.jpg)
