--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You shouldn't say 'animals' to…" description: "\"You shouldn't say 'animals' to distinguish between humans and non-humans. We are all animals.\" — Peter Singer" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba2/peter-singer-1001_animals_you-shouldn-t-say-animals-to-distinguish_1063315.jpg" --- # You shouldn't say 'animals' to distinguish between humans… ![“You shouldn't say 'animals' to distinguish between humans and non-humans. We are all animals.” quote by Peter Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba2/peter-singer-1001_animals_you-shouldn-t-say-animals-to-distinguish_1063315.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba2/peter-singer-1001_animals_you-shouldn-t-say-animals-to-distinguish_1063315.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba2/peter-singer-1001_animals_you-shouldn-t-say-animals-to-distinguish_1063315.jpg) > “You shouldn't say 'animals' to distinguish between humans and non-humans. We are all animals.” [Peter Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-singer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Distinguishing humans from other animals is arbitrary; we share animal nature. **In simple terms:** All beings are animals. Key Takeaway Treat non‑human animals with equal moral consideration. Themes ethics animal rights speciesism Mood ethical provocative Type philosophical activist When to use this quote - dietary choices - policy advocacy - research ethics Key Concepts moral philosophy equality interconnectedness Questions to Reflect On - How does this view change your behavior? - What responsibilities arise from shared animal status? A Different Perspective Cultural norms often resist this view. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Animal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal/) [Animals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animals/) [Between](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/between/) [Distinguish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/distinguish/) [Distinguish Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/distinguish-humans-2608667/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Humans Animals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans-animals/) [Humans Non](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans-non-636006/) [Non Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/non-humans-432742/) [Say](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/say/) [Say Animals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/say-animals-763076/) [You](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/you/) ## Related quotes > [It's not that humans and non-humans are identical... but the lack of understanding that led to the slave trade is the same lack of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-goodall/it-s-not-that-humans-and-non-humans-are-identical-but-the-lack-of/) [Jane Goodall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-goodall/) > [“Humans did not want to know about non-humans. 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Humans stay put.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/who-is-to-say-that-animals-are-dumb-when-a-tsunami-is-about-to-come/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Humans and animals are the largest in a difference \| after beating the animal will showyou the same love \| But man forgets the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/humans-and-animals-are-the-largest-in-a-difference-after-beating-the/) [Mak\_786](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mak-786/) > [There is reason to believe that voluntary activity, more than highly developed intellect, distinguishes humans from the animals which stand closest to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lev-s-vygotsky/there-is-reason-to-believe-that-voluntary-activity-more-than-highly/) [Lev S. Vygotsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lev-s-vygotsky/) > [“People forget that humans are animals too, that we're just as much a part of the wild places as the things that live in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-h-o-neil-2/people-forget-that-humans-are-animals-too-that-we-re-just-as-much-a/) [Vincent H. O Neil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-h-o-neil-2/) > [“We forget that we humans are animals, inextricably connected to the world and everything in it. 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I certainly wasn't an 'animal lover' when I became involved in the movement. I just came…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-singer/i-have-never-really-been-fond-of-animals-i-certainly-wasn-t-an-animal/) [Peter Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-singer/) > [Knowledge is generally considered a good thing; so, presumably, knowing more about how the U.S. thinks and operates around the world is also good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-singer/knowledge-is-generally-considered-a-good-thing-so-presumably-knowing/) [Peter Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-singer/) > [The price we are willing to pay for safety cannot be infinite. 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Once we take the first step, the distance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-singer/beginning-to-reason-is-like-stepping-onto-an-escalator-that-leads/) [Peter Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-singer/) > [“Population growth is not a reason against giving aid but a reason for reconsidering the kind of aid to give.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-singer/population-growth-is-not-a-reason-against-giving-aid-but-a-reason-for/) [Peter Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-singer/) > [Well the real concept of basic needs if you cut it right down are simply the physical needs that are unavoidable for all of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-singer/well-the-real-concept-of-basic-needs-if-you-cut-it-right-down-are/) [Peter Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-singer/) > [“Dairy farmers routinely remove calves from their mothers at an early age so that the milk will be available for humans; anyone who has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-singer/dairy-farmers-routinely-remove-calves-from-their-mothers-at-an-early/) [Peter Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-singer/) > [Attempts to defend amusement parks and circuses on the grounds that they 'educate' people about animals should not be taken seriously. 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Productive activity becomes ‘activity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-singer/a-consequence-of-this-alienation-of-humans-from-their-own-nature-is/) [Peter Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-singer/) > [“I argued against the view that the only obligation we have to strangers is to avoid harming them; but even if we were to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-singer/i-argued-against-the-view-that-the-only-obligation-we-have-to/) [Peter Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-singer/) > [I believe that in this new world that we live in, we often have a responsibility, you know, to actually go beyond the thou…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-singer/i-believe-that-in-this-new-world-that-we-live-in-we-often-have-a/) [Peter Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-singer/) > [It may be thought justifiable to require tests on animals of potentially life-saving drugs, but the same kinds of tests are used for products…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-singer/it-may-be-thought-justifiable-to-require-tests-on-animals-of/) [Peter Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-singer/) [Explore all 310 Peter Singer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-singer/) ## More Animal quotes > [I was 3-years-old - to this day it is a vivid memory. 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He becomes uniquely human when he reaches out for the superfluous and extravagant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/when-grubbing-for-necessities-man-is-still-an-animal-he-becomes/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [I'm 38 and I'm single, and I'm having my most intense and gratifying relationship with a dog. 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It makes no sense. None whatsoever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-l-francione/animal-rights-without-veganism-is-like-human-rights-with-slavery-it/) [Gary L. Francione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-l-francione/) [Browse all 13,456 Animal quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You shouldn't say 'animals' to distinguish between humans and non-humans. 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