The Definitive Debate About The Word Abuse

Описание: Words are tools to express ideas. In a discussion, what matters most is not always the exact words we use, but the idea we want to convey.

There is a current within the vegan movement that seeks to control language and ban the use of the word abuse.

Even when this comes from good intentions, the very definition of abuse is to use someone wrongly. Since there is no right way to use animals, animal exploitation is always abuse.

Now, while the use of this term is theoretically correct from a semantic point of view, its use in practice is not always effective when applied systematically. Why? Not because the word itself is wrong, but because of how non-vegans may interpret it.

In our society, abuse is generally understood as an extremely violent form of animal exploitation.

So, should this term be banned? Not necessarily. The goal is to help people understand that animal exploitation is always wrong, even when there is no visible suffering. Once this is clearly understood, we can afford to be more flexible with language. If using the word abuse in specific contexts helps convey this idea, then using it is entirely justified.

This is the difference between a dogmatic stance, which tries to control language by force, and a pedagogical stance, which aims to transmit understanding.

And you, what do you think?

Discussion with Andres Rafael, June 2025.
Edited by Sebastien Remy.