We all know which side of this debate I would argue.

My thoughts aside, the second speaker for the affirmative in this debate is one of the best 10 minute speeches I’ve heard on the topic. I would not have wanted to be the opposition following Philip Wollen, Australian philanthropist and ex VP of Citibank {who gave it all away}. I can’t believe this impassioned speech was delivered over three years ago and I’ve only found it this week! Better late than never.

Wollen describes himself as an “ahimsan”, a term he has adopted from the Sanskrit word ahimsa, which means “non-violence to any living being”. Ahimsa, he says, is “the most beautiful word ever written at any time, in any country, in human history”.{Source}

Although the ten minutes of Philip’s speech are filled with points that are worth repeating {over and over!} there are a couple which stood out to me:

Only 100 billion people have ever lived. 7 billion alive today. And we torture and kill 2 billion animals every week. 10,000 entire species are wiped out every year because of the actions of one species. We are now facing the 6th mass extinction in cosmological history. If any other organism did this a biologist would call it a virus.

I believe another world is possible. On a quiet night, I can hear her breathing.

In an effort to hear, not just listen to, the full debate I watched it online. You can see it or read the transcript of Philip’s speech. You can read more about Philip and the Kindness Trust here.

Animals should be off the menu. I’m with Philip Wollen.