At a TED Talk conference
On Compassion, Empathy, and Indifference
One speaker said,
If you should not judge a book by its cover
Then you should not judge
A people by their colour
Or by
Tits and Titles
This premise applies to every animal
All the others we put up for auction
Priced
By their fur, feathers — and Function
I wrote a version of this in 2022. Back then, I was focused on how individuals judge each other. This new version takes on how entire systems assign value to people, to roles, to animals. I like this one better. It feels mature. A reflection of my growth, too?
And to some degree this poem is also tied to An Argument Against the Eye.
© 2025 Samantha Williams. All Rights Reserved.
