Let animals off the hook, metaphorically

Though we humans think of ourselves as a superior species and tend to use animal similes for those with negative traits, it is only natural that People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta) would speak up against this pejorative usage.

Of course, Peta has its share of opponents, but fair-minded humans would surely agree that donkeys are not stupid, chickens are not cowardly and pigs are pretty smart creatures even if they do love to wallow in mud.

So why should indiscriminate derogatory usage be allowed even as the world wakes up to woke standards of parity? To be sure, we have no idea whether animals also use disparaging terms for humans in their communications, but that is no reason for us to continue using animal analogies for insults.


In fact, Peta should continue with its earlier strategy of targeting dictionaries in the drive to destigmatise animals, given that language shapes attitudes.

As meanings of many terms have changed dramatically in the past few years, there is no reason to continue listing ‘an unpleasant, contemptible or wicked man’ as one of the definitions for ‘dog’, for instance.

All of us — not just dictionaries — should ‘take the flower by the thorns’ (instead of ‘taking the bull by its horns’) and begin the prickly task of letting animals off the hook, metaphorically speaking.