Shrimp on the Barbie

"When I look at the shrimp on the platter, I don't see odd food anymore but, rather, individuals. Creatures piled on a platter, their black eyes still visible, their segmented, armored bodies intact. It's also a contrast to how we usually consume meat-the animal processed, the individual disappearing. Not so in the case of these shrimps. But that's only part of the explanation for my change in attitude"

"The plausible cause? I'm currently writing a book on the minds of these small and unassuming crustaceans. Yet, even after months of research on their lives, their surprising mental abilities, I can't help but feel surprised at my sudden empathy towards these little shrimp. While I didn't partake in their consumption, most others at the table didn't seem to mind, happily loading their plates with what is perhaps the highlight of an Australian Christmas dinner."

"It is one thing to know the absurdly high numbers of shrimp killed for food each year-trillions-and how little attention we pay to their welfare as individuals from a utilitarian calculus; it's another to experience empathy, to feel moved by their suffering. This is why the Shrimp Welfare Project was featured on the Daily Show as a perfect punchline. There is an empathy gap when we look at animals so unlike ourselves, strangely alien, with their armored bodies."

An Australian Christmas commonly features prawns as a summer centerpiece, a striking contrast with colder-climate traditions. Whole prawns with visible eyes and armored segments present as individuals rather than processed meat, prompting emotional responses. Research into crustacean cognition reveals surprising mental capacities that can generate empathy toward shrimp. Despite trillions of shrimp killed annually and broad societal indifference to their welfare, many people continue to eat them without reflection. The combination of alien appearance and cultural norms creates a significant empathy gap for crustaceans, often met with humor or skepticism rather than serious concern.

Read at Psychology Today