NOT HUMAN, BUT … – Shifting Perceptions of Farm Animals
‘Not Human, But …’ is an Instagram campaign aiming to inspire a shift in society’s perception of farm animals, a shift from being seen mainly as food sources to being seen as sentient living beings. This project is dedicated to all of these billions of farm animals that suffer and die every year for our food. To those whose voices remain unheard, yet whose lives are filled with the same emotions and experiences as our own.
EVERY SECOND approximately 2381 chickens, 48 pigs, 20 sheep and 10 cows are slaughtered worldwide (Our World In Data, 2024).
In our society, a dominant norm is that certain animals are consumed and reduced to their utility for humans. Usually, this is not even questioned which leads to overlooking the value and potential of these animals. This campaign aims to challenge this norm by highlighting similarities between humans and the farm animals that are consumed on a regular basis in Western European societies. Even though it is important to not humanise animals, their needs should be acknowledged and can be compared to human needs and behaviours that are often quite similar.
Consuming animal products such as meat, dairy or eggs is deeply rooted in the Western European society where common diets traditionally include these items. For the consumers it is often unnecessary to think about the animals behind the product as those products are so easily accessible. The connection between living animal and bought product becomes quite abstract which makes it easier to look away resulting in not seeing the living being behind the product.
However, all these animals do experience a wide range of emotions – the ability to feel empathy, grief or fear is not limited to humans (UWA, 2019). And even cognitive abilities such as learning or problem-solving can be observed in the animals that we eat.
The lack of knowledge about the intelligence and abilities of cows, pigs, chickens and sheep justifies the act of eating them. This is why we must understand and acknowledge their sentience.
As long as animals’ needs are not acknowledged, we cannot live in a compassionate world. This is why this campaign aims to create a deeper understanding and change the way we see animals and our meals. This campaign works towards the goal of changing perceptions of farm animals and changing the behaviour of consuming meat. Because these steps can be the beginning of a world with more empathy and compassion which are the foundation of a harmonious society. For a future in which not only humans are valued but all of us Earthlings – a future where all species can live in coexistence, together.
A combination of photography, illustration and typography was used to create visuals for the project’s outcome: a social media campaign with 18 different Instagram posts emphasising the similarities between animals and humans to show that those animals are not food sources but sentient living beings.
Additional stickers promote the account through a QR code that directly links to the account.
Discover the surprising similarities between you and farm animals. Explore how they feel, think and experience the world. This might change the way you see your next meal.
See The Not Human But’s Instagram account
References
Our World In Data. “Yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat, World, 1961 to 2022.” Last updated March 14, 2024. Accessed April 23, 2024. https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/animals-slaughtered-for-meat
University of West Alabama. “Do Animals Have Feelings? Examining Empathy In Animals.” Published April 3, 2019. Accessed March 22, 2024. https://online.uwa.edu/news/empathy-in-animals/
