Apology to mice

After learning about the Mice and Cherry Blossoms studies through my friend Henry Yampolsky the other day, I had a moment about mice.

We The Humans do a lot of research on mice.

There is a lot of concern (and protest) about all the research we do on mice.

There’s a whole debate about whether it’s ethical or not.

And I just wanted to say: I’m sorry.

I’m pretty sure that experimenting on mice violates my ethical system.

And all that research benefits me in so many ways.

Most of those ways I have no idea about, but even just that one article I read about the Mice and the Cherry Blossoms has changed the way I look at large swaths of human life and suffering.

And we got there by traumatizing mice and separating them from their biological families.

So rather than try to justify it this behavior as ethical or fair, I just want to issue, on my own behalf, a public apology and gratitude.

Dear Mice,

Thank you. I’m sorry.

– Ankur