Notes on the extinction of donkeys

Abstract

Reading reports about the threat of extinction that looms over donkeys in Brazil and around the world led us to return to the writings of Count Buffon on domestic animals and, more specifically, to his entry on donkeys. Buffon contrasts the immense usefulness of donkeys to humans, their innate goodness, with the frequent mistreatment that accompanies them throughout their lives. We also discussed the philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau, who took advantage of Buffon's reading to reflect on the theme of exploitation through labor and inequality among men. We also commented on the film Au Hasard Balthazar, by Robert Bresson, where we find an artistic approach to the theme of mistreatment of donkeys and Rousseau's association between animal exploitation and exploitation of man by man. Finally, we looked at the articles that deal with the extinction of donkeys in Brazil and that give us an overview of the gravity of this situation.