An Animal Rights/Vegan Activists' Strategies Article used with permission from All-Creatures.org


Marc Bekoff remembers Jane Goodall and celebrates her life and legacy as a source of inspiration going into the new year.


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Keeping Jane Goodall's Magic and Hope Alive and Well Forever
From Marc Bekoff, Ph.D., PsychologyToday.com
December 2025

baby chimpanzee, paper dolls, and Jane Goodall illustration
Images from Canva


Key points

  • It is essential to remember Jane Goodall's tireless efforts to help all beings.

  • Compassion and empathy for animals beget compassion and empathy for humans.

  • Cruelty towards animals begets cruelty toward humans.

This post is in response to Celebrating the Legacy of Dr. Jane Goodall: 1934-2025 By Marc Bekoff Ph.D.

Dr. Jane Goodall passed away on October 1, 2025. Having worked very closely with her for many years—writing a book and a number of essays, working with her on some of her books, chairing and co-chairing the Ethics Committee of the Jane Goodall Institute, spreading the good word about the JGI's global Roots & Shoots program, sharing stories and jokes, and sipping peaty scotch she called her "cough medicine"—every December I reflect on the past year, and what is coming up in the new year. A few days ago, it came to me that revisiting and updating a short essay I wrote with Jane in December 1999, as we were heading into a new century, could provide a good beginning and some much-needed hope. This essay, "Twelve Millennial Mantras," eventually formed the basis for our book The Ten Trusts: What We Must Do to Care for the Animals We Love.

Jane Goodall and Marc Bekoff Jane and my last in-person toast. When I knew I'd be spending time with Jane, I'd fill small plastic bottles with scotch and mark them "Rx, cough medicine."
Source: Marc Bekoff

One of our major messages was that all animals, human and nonhuman, and their homes and other habitats would benefit from the efforts, no matter how big or small, of those who can make a positive difference in their lives. As I was writing this essay, I came upon an entire issue of Time magazine devoted to Jane's life that revisited a many of her significant contributions. Reflecting on her enduring passion and global influence—"Jane Magic"—on millions of people and keeping it alive seemed very timely given her passing a few months ago. Of course, there remains much unfinished business.

The Twelve Millennial Mantras

One: Compassion and empathy for animals beget compassion and empathy for humans. Cruelty towards animals begets cruelty toward humans.

Two: All life has value and should be respected. Every animal owns their own life spark. Animals are not owned as property. All living creatures deserve these basic rights: the right to life, freedom from torture, and liberty to express their individual natures. Many law schools offer courses in animal law. If we agree, we would interact with animals in rather different ways. We shall need compelling reasons for denying these rights and ask forgiveness for any animal we harm.

Three: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Imagine what it would be like to be caged, trapped, restrained, isolated, mutilated, shocked, starved, socially deprived, hung upside down, awaiting death, or watching others being slaughtered. Biological data clearly show that many animals suffer physically and psychologically and feel pain.

Four: Dominion does not mean domination. We hold dominion over animals only because of our powerful and ubiquitous intellect. Not because we are morally superior. Not because we have a "right" to exploit those who cannot defend themselves. Let us use our brains to move towards compassion, away from cruelty, to feel empathy rather than cold indifference, to feel an animal's pain in our hearts.

Five: Human beings are a part of the animal kingdom, not apart from it. The separation of "us" from "them" creates a false picture and is responsible for much suffering. It is part of the in-group, out-group mentality that leads to human oppression of the weak by the strong, as in ethnic, religious, political, and social conflicts. Let us open our hearts to two-way relationships with other animals—each giving and receiving. This brings pure and uncomplicated joy.

Six: Imagine a world without animals. No birdsong, no droning of nectar searching bees, no coyotes howling, no thundering of hooves on the plains. Rachel Carson chilled our hearts with thoughts of the silent spring. Now we face the prospect of silent summers, falls, and winters.

Seven: Tread lightly. Only interfere when it is in the best interests of the animals. Imagine a world where we truly respect and admire animals, feel heartfelt empathy, compassion, and understanding. Imagine how we should be freed of guilt, conscious, or unconscious.

Eight: Make ethical choices in what we buy, do, and watch. In a consumer-driven society, our individual choices, used collectively for the good of animals and nature, can change the world faster than laws.

Nine: Have the courage of conviction. Never say never. Act now. Be proactive and prevent animal abuse before it starts. Dare to speak out to save the world's precious and fragile resources. Live as much as possible in harmony with nature, respecting the intrinsic value of all life and the wondrous composition of earth, water, and air.

Ten: Every individual matters and has a role to play. Our actions make a difference. Public pressure has been responsible for much social change, including more humane treatment of animals. "Whistle blowers" have courageously revealed intolerable conditions in laboratories, circuses, slaughterhouses, and so on, often at the expense of their jobs.

Eleven: Be a passionate visionary, a courageous crusader. Combat cruelty and catalyze compassion. Do not fear to express love. Do not fear to be too generous or too kind. Above all, understand that there are many reasons to remain optimistic even when things seem grim. Let us harness the indomitable human spirit. Together, we can make this a better world for all living organisms. We must, for our children, and theirs. We must stroll with our kin, not walk away from them.

Twelve: When animals are lost, we all lose. Every single loss diminishes us as well as the magnificent world in which we live together.1

Keeping "Jane Magic" alive and well

Many people refer to Jane's enduring and widespread global influence in many diverse aspects of life as "Jane Magic." In so many ways, these mantras and trusts remain as useful guidelines for action, and while we've made good progress in many areas of animal protection, animal conservation, and helping humans in need, much more needs to be done. We continue to learn about how our own well-being is tightly linked to the well-being of other animals and their homes, and that other animals and we display a wide range of positive emotions, including kindness, compassion, and empathy, and that it's natural to be good, cooperative, kind, empathic, and compassionate. A relatively new and growing movement called compassionate conservation also stresses how we must tap into our natural goodness and help all nonhuman and human animals who need our support.

We also know that we must work very closely with youngsters, and the Jane Goodall Institute's Roots and Shoots groups are doing that and much, much more. A free online book, Kids and Animals, stemming from numerous Roots & Shoots gatherings around the world, some of which Jane and I did together, shows just how much youngsters care about all animals, human and nonhuman, and their homes and other habitats.

The time is right and the time is now, for an inspirational, revolutionary, and personal social movement that can save us from gloom and doom and keep us positive while we pursue our hopes and dreams as a unified global community. I remain optimistic that we can do much better as we move into the New Year and as we continue to tap into “Jane magic." There's still a lot of work to be done.2

References

Kids & Animals, Marc Bekoff, Foreword by Jane Goodall.

Bekoff, Marc, and Koen Margodt (editors). Jane Goodall at 90: Celebrating an Astonishing Lifetime of Science, Advocacy, Humanitarianism, Hope, and Peace. Salt Water Media, 2024; Jane Goodall at 90: An Iconic and Indefatigable Woman; Celebrating the Legacy of Jane Goodall on Animals Matter Day.

Mangelsen, Thomas D. Remembering Jane Goodall: A Legacy of Wild Grace, Passion, and Unfinished Work. December 4, 2025.

1) As I mentioned above, these twelve mantras served as the basis for The Ten Trusts: One: Rejoice that we are part of the Animal Kingdom; Two: Respect all life; Three: Open our minds, in humility, to animals and learn from them; Four: Teach our children to respect and love nature; Five: Be wise stewards of life on earth; Six: Value and help preserve the sounds of nature; Seven: Refrain from harming life to learn about it; Eight: Have the courage of our convictions; Nine: Praise and help those who work for animals and the natural world; Ten: Act knowing we are not alone and live with hope.

2) I'm very pleased that Jane and I have a young kid's book due out in early 2027.

About the Author

Marc Bekoff, Ph.D., is professor emeritus of ecology and evolutionary biology at the University of Colorado, Boulder.

Online: marcbekoff.com, X

Article originally published on PsychologyToday.com:
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/animal-emotions/202512/keeping-jane-goodalls-magic-and-hope-alive-and-well-forever

Posted on All-Creatures.org: December 31, 2025
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