Survival at stake: How Our Treatment of Animals Is Key to Human Existence |Book Review

 Review of Poorva Joshipura’s book - Survival at Stake: How Our Treatment of Animals Is Key to Human Existence

• Title -Survival at Stake: How Our Treatment of Animals Is Key to Human Existence 
• Author – Poorva Joshipura
• Year published – 23 October 2023
• Publisher - Harper Collins India
• Pages - 328
• Genre – Non-Fiction
• Format - Paperback

 With science now recognizing animal consciousness, intelligence, emotion and even morality, there must come an awareness of our own moral responsibilities towards other beings. But there's another reason to consider animals' well-being-because it is intertwined with our own.

In Survival at Stake, leading animal rights activist Poorva Joshipura argues passionately that, evolutionarily, humans are far more like other animals than we care to believe. She examines how hunting wildlife leads to pandemics and epidemics, which, in turn, harm us; how the production of meat destroys forests and causes climate change, which, in turn, destroys us; how blood sports hurt both humans and animals; how leather production damages the environment and human health; how animal experimentation is often a threat to public health; how cruelty to animals leads to violent crimes; and so on.

It is Joshipura's view that if we reject speciesism-the belief in human superiority-and accept that we are animals too, irrevocably interconnected to other species, from the largest elephant to the smallest bee, and a part of, rather than holding dominance over, nature, we can take the necessary steps towards the betterment of all the planet's inhabitants.

Book #6 of 2024

Non-fiction - #5

Rating - 4🌟

This is the fifth non-fiction book I've read this year. The focus of this book is on how we treat animals, and it argues that our treatment of them is crucial for our survival on Earth.

Despite the belief that humans are superior to animals, the author emphasizes the similarities between them. The key, according to the author, lies in maintaining a balance among all living beings for the sake of our survival.

The book explores various human actions, such as the leather industry, hunting, and meat production, and highlights their impact on mankind. The author supports the arguments with well-researched articles and personal experiences in the field. Numerous references and citations presented at the end of the book demonstrate the depth of research behind the book.

While the writing is simple, the author's engaging style kept me hooked. The book is packed with facts, and the author's perspective suggests that our current attitude could lead to the extinction of the human species if we do not change our attitude and actions. The importance of understanding the roles of even the smallest creatures in nature is emphasized, stressing the need for coexistence.

Each chapter provides new and surprising information. For example, the chapters on "Testing 123" and "The Deadly Games" shed light on the unfortunate behavior of the human race towards animals. It was a shocking revelation in the chapter –“Creating a monster”, where the author explains that a person's behavior with animals might indicate how they may behave, citing the examples of school shooters! These chapters are just a few examples from the book.

Overall, the book conveys a profound message that animals and humans are alike, and harmonious coexistence is essential for the greater good.

The insightful content, along with a beautiful cover, makes it a compelling read. An eye-opener and I would give it a 4/5 star rating.

Poorva Joshipura is the author of For a Moment of Taste: How What You Eat Impacts Animals, the Planet and Your Health (2020). She is the Senior Vice President of International Affairs for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) Foundation UK, through which she oversees numerous global PETA entity operations and projects. She is the former chief executive officer of PETA India, and the former director of PETA UK. Early on in her career, she also worked in various capacities for PETA US. She is a member of the board of directors for PETA India and the former co-opted member of the government body Animal Welfare Board of India. Poorva is also an advisor to Animal Rahat, an organization that aims to help some of the most neglected animals in the world, and to the Petra Veterinary Clinic, which does similar work in Jordan.

Poorva's award-winning work involves stopping cruelty to animals used for food, clothing, experimentation, entertainment and other purposes in countries around the world. She has personally conducted undercover investigations into places where animals are used and has overseen numerous other such investigations. Her work for animals extends to courtrooms, corporate boardrooms, government offices, police stations, college campuses, schools and on the street through rescue and emergency response efforts. 

Poorva has led many campaigns that have been widely covered by major news agencies around the world. She is a regular guest on television news and radio shows through which she encourages viewers and listeners to be considerate to animals. She speaks on animal rights at universities and at other events, and can usually be found in London, Mumbai, Delhi or Wadi Musa.

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