Anti-Speciesism Exercise/Human Bias
Imagine a person who is benefiting from a situation in which others might be getting hurt.
Some examples to think about here might be:
- A textile maker in the 1850s benefiting from cheap cotton produced by enslaved black people in the American South.
- An investor making profit from a factory which employs child labor.
- A bookie making money selling bets on dog-fighting.
Feel free to use your own example. Try to imagine this person’s day-to-day life.
Do you think it is more likely this person enjoys seeing / hearing / thinking about those others get hurt, or is it more likely they don’t like seeing / hearing / thinking about it?
When others are hurt, do you think it is more likely that this person takes full responsibility and acknowledges the extent of harm caused, or are they more likely to avoid claiming responsibility and to underestimate the extent of the harm?
All things considered, do you think that this person is in a good position to safeguard the interests of those who might be hurt?
You might want to consider here the notion of a “conflict of interest”. A Supreme Court justice who might personally benefit depending on the outcome of a case (e.g., if they own stock in a company appearing before the court) is said to have a conflict of interest, and is expected to recuse themselves from the case to avoid bias in the official proceedings of the court.
Do you think this person should be playing a role in determining what rights and/or protections are granted to those who might be hurt? Why or why not?