Week11: These Times are Changing (for animals)

The times are changing, indeed. Once upon a time, newspapers and other physical embodiments of information (besides the unreliable word-of-mouth) were the only form of "news." Then, there was the radio, and eventually the TV. But now, we have information a click away. Literally at our fingertips. So it is reasonable, and probably the best method, for authors to extend their platform to social media. As Gladwell states: "The new tools of social media have reinvented social activism."

One author fights a battle that I'm particularly inclined towards: animal rights. Aside from his books, Mark Hawthorne runs a blog that focuses on researched topics and new topics in the news. "Striking at the Roots" fights for animals around the globe, or as he calls it "Animal activism around the world." He calls for people to use empathy when it comes to animals and for them to be treated humanly. He supports veganism, fights against animal testing and abuse, and spreads awareness about current events and successes for animal activists. His most recent article was a review of the success for animal rights in 2019. Hawthorne also has a social media presence on Twitter, where he posts current events from around the world. 

(Tucker, the shelter dog)

By backing up his information with facts, statistics, and relevant stories, he appeals to the reader’s sense of reason and logic. For instance, on an article about the unnecessary use of fur for clothing, he argues that it is very much still in existence. He includes the data, “By 2004, the global fur industry was worth $11.7 billion. Now, according to the International Fur Federation, the industry is valued at $40 billion. In the U.S., fur hit a 17-year high last year with $531 million in sales, up from $337 million in 2014.”  He uses reliable sources like the US Department of Justice, PETA, and Institute for the Future, which makes his argument more reliable and allows readers to see the logic within his argument.

Hawthorne also appeals to the reader’s emotions when he rights about animal rights. He includes images and data that should sway the audience in favor of his argument. His details make animals more individualistic, rather than an entire group, and appeals  to the reader’s sense of empathy. He also calls for help from the audience at the end of his articles, where he informs them about what they can do to help. In another article, he pleas to California to help ban Fur trade by supporting the bill against it. He states “The fur industry is lobbying hard against this bill, so every voice of support helps.” 

Now, some of these topics are specific— "I don’t buy fur or live in California, so why should I care?" But looking further into his blog, I believe it is made for everyone. Animal owners, animal lovers, people in general. We can all do our part to help—stop buying animal-tested products, lobby for bills that ban cruel acts, and even adopting animals from shelters. Animals are everywhere, and they're innocent things. We can act empathetically and, one-by-one, lesson the power of the cruel industries.