July 13, 2023

161: India has a rich history of pro-animal thought. So why aren't we using that in our advocacy (instead of global north narratives)? - Varda Mehrotra - Sentientism

1 hour 8 minutes

Varda Mehrotra is an animal advocate and movement builder, exploring intersectional solutions. Most recently, she founded Samayu to undertake intersectional work and apply a systems approach for issues surrounding justice and animals in food systems. Under her decade-long leadership, FIAPO - India’s federation for animal organisations - was recognized as one of the most effective animal charities. She has spearheaded several large-scale undercover investigations, campaigns for farmed animals, companion animals and wild animals and was the architect of India’s largest plant-based advocacy network which has created many animal advocate leaders in the country. Prior to that, she spent several years organising within the grassroots animal advocacy movement in Scotland.

In Sentientist Conversations we talk about the two most important questions: “what’s real?” & “who matters?”

Sentientism is "evidence, reason & compassion for all sentient beings." The video of our conversation is ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here on YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

We discuss:

00:00 Welcome

01:41 Varda's Intro

- "An activist first"

- Scotland, India, US

- Advocating for farmed, wild, companion animals

- Policy work, mobilisation, vegan advocacy, corporate engagement

- Intersectional thinking "in practice" "a bigger picture approach... correcting the omission of animal interests in the broader discourse around our planetary crisis

- Co-founding Samayu "working with the inter-linkages" https://samayu.org/

3:45 What's Real?

- A Hindu religious upbringing

- "All our holidays were spent in the forest... the value of the natural world... you hold it in wonder"

- Mum researched Buddhist philosophy "a lot of Buddhist concepts mixed in [with traditional Hinduism]"

- As a rebellious teenager "I was a staunch atheist for a while... Now the question of atheism has almost disappeared... ceased to matter"

- "I just didn't see any evidence... there was just no way I could relate to faith on its own... and the dogmatic side of religion... that I still strongly disagree with. I wasn't convinced then and I'm not convinced now."

- "My worldview has shifted - I don't believe in the single or multiple male gods"

- "I just identify as a nothingist"

- "That was one of the many things I was talking about doing differently... at a very young age I said 'I'm not OK doing that' [eating meat]"

- "Exploring modalities... #meditation, #yoga... evidence for a general sense of connection... empathy... acknowledging everything is interconnected"

- "I don't think there is anything 'greater than'... but certainly there is a fundamental interconnection that goes beyond transactional relationships... that grounds me."

- Naturalistic and supernatural versions of #spirituality

- The ethical risks of spiritual, supernatural & religious worldviews (#cults #alternativemedicine harsh punishments, authoritarianism...) "There's a huge difference if they are taking actions from those beliefs or not."

- "Buddhist monasteries are still serving meat and dairy"

- "Any belief system can easily become dogmatic"

- "Spirituality can be equally dark... as organised religion"

21:30 What & Who Matters?

- "Everybody matters... all human and non-human beings matter"

- "Each of us are on our journey to be able to put that into action"

- "Sentience is the scientific basis of including beings in our moral compass"

- "Looking at nature... and including that... within that moral compass"

- "Intrinsic value... Every animal exists with his or her own interests"

33:23 Making a Better World

...and much more. Full show notes at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sentientism.info⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Sentientism is “Evidence, reason & compassion for all sentient beings.” More at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sentientism.info⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Join our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠"I'm a Sentientist" wall⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ via ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠this simple form⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Everyone, Sentientist or not, is welcome in our groups. The biggest so far is ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here on FaceBook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Come join us there!

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By Jamie Woodhouse

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