Below, a scene from the Disney movie “Enchanted.” The scene modernizes and urbanizes the Cinderella scene where woodland creatures help a wannabe princess clean and sew:

The above clip is a humorous example of speciesism, the idea that a living being’s worth is determined by their membership in a particular species.

How funny that blue birds and rabbits should be allowed to act as singing servants in children’s stories, yet pigeons and rats can’t?

But more sad is that none of the nonhumans – in fairytales or real life – have any value at all beyond their utility to humans.

And let’s not forget the woman’s value in these fairytales: she cleans and sews and pines for a prince to rescue her. It’s related, of course! Remember, who is “we”? Who is the “happy working throng”? The woman and the vermin are together in this.

“Enchanted” does a good job of taking these silly old fashioned sexist and speciesist ideas and turning them on their ears. But only if you stop and think about it for a  minute.

So, stop and think a bit.

What does it mean that our society only values cows and cats and pigs and dogs for what they can do for us? What does it mean for our future if we don’t overcome these immoral habits and work to be better than that?

What will our society, nay, what will our planet look like if we don’t get past these old fashioned ideas and we don’t stop treating animals like meat before they’re even dead?

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For those readers who can’t watch the video, here are the lyrics:

All right, everyone! Let’s tidy things up!

Come my little friends
As we all sing a happy little working song
Merry little voices clear and strong
Come and roll your sleeves up,
So to speak, and pitch in
Cleaning crud up in the kitchen
As we sing along

Trill a cheery tune in the tub
As we scrub a stubborn mildew stain
Pluck a hairball from the shower drain
To that gay refrain
Of a happy working song

We’ll keep singing without fail
Otherwise we’d spoil it
Hosing down the garbage pail
And scrubbing up the toilet
Ooh!

How we all enjoy letting loose with a little
“La-da-dum-dum-dum”
While we’re emptying the vacu-um
It’s such fun to hum
A happy working song
Hmmm
A happy working song

Oh, how strange a place to be
Till Edward comes for me
My heart is sighing

Still, as long as I am here
I guess a new experience
Could be worth trying
Hey! Keep drying!

You can do a lot when you’ve got
Such a happy working tune to hum
While you’re sponging up the soapy scum
We adore each filthy chore
That we determine
So friends even though you’re vermin
We’re a happy working throng

Singing as we fetch the detergent box
For the smelly shirts and the stinky socks
Sing along
If you can not sing then hum along
As we’re finishing our happy working song!

Ahh…

Wasn’t this fun?