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Netflix’s explosive documentary My Octopus Teacher chronicles a complex relationship between a man and world’s most bizarre animal – an octopus. It further testifies to our highly conflicted relationship with non-human animals.

We treasure our “pets” – dogs, cats, horses. Our allegiance to them transcends that to our own species. If our dog and a Congolese child were competing for life-saving surgery, the dog would live.

Yet, we torment, kill, and consume other animals who are similar in appearance, intelligence, and ability to suffer. Then, we bristle at East Asians who do the same to animals we consider pets.

We pride ourselves on being intelligent, rational beings.

Yet we still have not figured out our relationship with non-human animals.

Some of us have.

Vegans profess compassion and respect for all sentient beings. Every one of us can become one on our next trip to our supermarket.

— Pedro Abogado, Port Arthur