“To my mind the life of a lamb is no less precious than that of a human being. I should be unwilling to take the life of a lamb for the sake of the human body. I hold that, the more helpless a creature, the more entitled it is to protection by man from the cruelty of man.”
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Probable attribution
This saying is widely associated with Mahatma Gandhi, but the attribution is not supported by a reliable primary source.
Likely origin: Gandhi, An Autobiography (The Story of My Experiments with Truth), ch. 'A Month with Gokhale - II' (1927).
About this quote
Vulnerability, not usefulness, is what makes a claim on our care. The weaker a creature or person is to defend itself, the stronger the duty of the strong to shield rather than exploit it — power is meant to be spent on protection, not on getting one's way.
When to use it
- A vet tech handles a frightened, injured stray with extra gentleness rather than force.
- Older kids on the playground are asked to look out for the youngest instead of teasing them.
- A caregiver reshapes the whole daily routine around a bedridden relative who can't ask for help.