Definition of Aponism

Aponism (from aponía, “absence of pain”) is a secular, global moral philosophy and emancipatory movement. It seeks to dismantle every structure of domination and abolish imposed suffering, while cultivating conditions for compassionate flourishing among all sentient beings. Guided by empirical reasoning, revocable and informed consent, and solidaristic, cooperative action, Aponism advances its vision through three mutually reinforcing pillars—abolitionist veganism, which opposes the commodification of animals as property; anti-authoritarian, horizontally organized self-governance; and strictly voluntary antinatalism, which opposes coercive reproduction and affirms the right not to procreate—uniting animal, social, and existential liberation within a single ethic of radical non-harm.

Our Core Pillars

Abolitionist veganism

Each year, tens of billions of land animals and hundreds of billions of fish are bred, confined, and killed merely to satisfy human appetites. This is a holocaust of sentient beings on a scale never seen in history. Aponism declares that this must stop, completely and forever. We reject the idea that animals exist as resources or commodities for human use. Instead, we recognize them as individuals with their own lives and capacity to suffer, deserving of rights and compassion.

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Anti-authoritarianism

If we seek to end domination and imposed suffering, we must work toward a world where no person or elite wields tyrannical power over others. Aponism thus calls for the dismantling of oppressive structures—be they political regimes, economic systems, or social hierarchies—that inflict suffering and restrict freedom. In positive terms, we envision societies organized on principles of voluntary cooperation, equality, and mutual aid rather than violence and coercion.

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Antinatalism

To procreate, to have a child, is to impose life (and the inevitability of some suffering) on someone without that someone’s consent. Aponism views this as a grave ethical issue. We advocate for the voluntary cessation of procreation as an act of mercy and responsibility toward potential beings and the planet they would inhabit.

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From the Aponist Lens

“We seek a world without involuntary pain—not by magic or idle dreaming, but by morality, science, and solidarity in practice. The task before us is immense, but so is our resolve. As Aponists, we pledge our lives to this purpose: to reduce and ultimately abolish imposed suffering.”

Read our Manifesto

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