TOW #6 (Text): Are Chicks Brighter Than Babies? By Nicholas D. Kristof

In the New York Times article, Are Chicks Brighter Than Babies?, author, Nicholas D. Kristof provides insight as to how chickens, despite popular opinion, are actually smart. Kristof uses the fact that chickens are not "birdbrains" to provide a broader message that cruelty of animals, no matter what we think of them, should be eliminated. Kristof, a two time Pulitzer Prize winner, grew up on a farm and provides anecdotal evidence as to how chickens aren't simply dumb birds, but rather social creatures. He then uses scientific evidence to support his claim that chickens are indeed smart, and in some cases more so than babies. Kristof uses a combination of ethos through his anecdotes and logos through his scientific studies to provide an overall message that chickens should be treated with respect, and not treated as a dumb and unworthy bird. In an attempt to seem less of a preacher and environmental activist, Kristof admits that he himself eats chicken all the time. However he uses this point to further show that the common meat eater can take small steps to avoid harming chickens by just not eating factory farmed ones. He puts into the reader's mind the scene of rotting dead chickens next to others in a farm and says that this is wrong. One of the most effective parts of Kristof's argument is how he compares chickens to human characteristics. Through his anecdotes, Kristof makes a claim such as, "Geese shared family obligations" and then delves into his argument that geese (chickens) are similar to humans. He later even compares them to babies, saying that chickens have been seen to replicate TV faster and better than when babies are shown what to do on TV. The comparison of chickens to humans was an attempt to show that chickens don't deserve cruelty just as much as humans don't. Being a vegetarian, this article really connected with me and I found it a refreshing way to send the vegetarian message. Although it didn't say to go vegetarian, it provided simple steps as to how the common consumer can easily avoid animal cruelty. I found that Kristof's overall comparison of chickens to humans, scientific evidence, and use of anecdotes were profound as this is quite possibly one of my favorite articles that I have read in a while. 

Suffering Chicken