Bethany Brookshire

I'm the author of the 2022 book, Pests, How Humans Create Animal Villains.

I'm the author of the 2022 book, Pests, How Humans Create Animal Villains.

Oh, man. Pests, the word, does so much work in our society just in general. It has become a word for animals that are not where we want them to be. And that was one of the things that I became really fixated on, is the fact that the animals that we hate... Are so subjective. The animals are just being animals. They're about us.

Oh, man. Pests, the word, does so much work in our society just in general. It has become a word for animals that are not where we want them to be. And that was one of the things that I became really fixated on, is the fact that the animals that we hate... Are so subjective. The animals are just being animals. They're about us.

Oh, man. Pests, the word, does so much work in our society just in general. It has become a word for animals that are not where we want them to be. And that was one of the things that I became really fixated on, is the fact that the animals that we hate... Are so subjective. The animals are just being animals. They're about us.

They're about where we think animals belong and what we think those animals should be doing.

They're about where we think animals belong and what we think those animals should be doing.

They're about where we think animals belong and what we think those animals should be doing.

I don't know that it's been unfairly tarnished. I certainly think there was probably a place for it. I do think the fact that we're so quick to blame the rat says a lot about us because the reality is the thing that causes most diseases in humans, like communicable diseases, is other humans, right? We're the major vectors of disease to each other.

I don't know that it's been unfairly tarnished. I certainly think there was probably a place for it. I do think the fact that we're so quick to blame the rat says a lot about us because the reality is the thing that causes most diseases in humans, like communicable diseases, is other humans, right? We're the major vectors of disease to each other.

I don't know that it's been unfairly tarnished. I certainly think there was probably a place for it. I do think the fact that we're so quick to blame the rat says a lot about us because the reality is the thing that causes most diseases in humans, like communicable diseases, is other humans, right? We're the major vectors of disease to each other.

If we've learned anything from the COVID-19 pandemic, it is that.

If we've learned anything from the COVID-19 pandemic, it is that.

If we've learned anything from the COVID-19 pandemic, it is that.

The pigeon became domesticated around 8,000 years ago, we think, which makes it one of the earliest domesticated birds. Pigeons were cornerstones of many societies. They were incredibly important, not just for food, though we absolutely ate them. If you've never had squab, I highly recommend. It's delicious. We used them as messengers. And in fact, we decorated pigeons that served in war.

The pigeon became domesticated around 8,000 years ago, we think, which makes it one of the earliest domesticated birds. Pigeons were cornerstones of many societies. They were incredibly important, not just for food, though we absolutely ate them. If you've never had squab, I highly recommend. It's delicious. We used them as messengers. And in fact, we decorated pigeons that served in war.

The pigeon became domesticated around 8,000 years ago, we think, which makes it one of the earliest domesticated birds. Pigeons were cornerstones of many societies. They were incredibly important, not just for food, though we absolutely ate them. If you've never had squab, I highly recommend. It's delicious. We used them as messengers. And in fact, we decorated pigeons that served in war.

Pigeons were used to carry messages. And one of my favorite things is that pigeons were the foundation of modern journalism.

Pigeons were used to carry messages. And one of my favorite things is that pigeons were the foundation of modern journalism.

Pigeons were used to carry messages. And one of my favorite things is that pigeons were the foundation of modern journalism.