Cows vs. Dogs
"I don't feel superior because I'm vegan. The truth is I am vegan because I don't feel superior to others."
-Michele McCowan
Dog > Cow...?
If you are the kind of person that just can't bring yourself to see a cow, a tuna, a chicken, a lobster, a pig, a turkey, a salmon, a sheep, or any other "food" animal the same way you see a dog, a cat, a dolphin, a parakeet, a turtle, or any other "non-food" animal, congratulations - you are like every other person on the face of the earth. And that's not a bad thing! Even I, a vegan who loves all animals with my entire heart, don't see a cow the same way as I see a dog. (Don't tell my dog, but I actually like cows more than dogs - they're just like giant puppies, and what's better than that?)
Survival Instinct
These differences between animals are what keep us alive and sane. They help us differentiate between a ferocious lion and a furry bunny, preventing us from running away in fear from every innocent little animal we see and encouraging us to stay as far away as possible from our predators, which is basically every land-dwelling omnivore and carnivore.
"We have enslaved the rest of the animal creation, and have treated our distant cousins in fur and feathers so badly that beyond doubt, if they were to formulate a religion, they would depict the Devil in human form."
-William Inge
Excuses, Excuses
So, yes, I recognize that there are differences between species, but differences are what make us all unique. We have an incredibly diverse planet, brimming with millions of different species of beings. However, what differentiates you from me is that I don't believe that these differences, large or small, between species are enough to justify killing certain animals. (And maybe you don't believe that either; maybe you've just never thought of it that way because that's simply the way society is.) Just as I would not discriminate against someone simply for the color of their skin, I would not discriminate against someone because of their species.
Cow ≠ Dog ≠ Human
It is not because I see a cow as equal to a dog as equal to a human, not because I am "color blind" (or species blind?). I do not believe we are all equal in precisely the same way, especially considering most - most - humans generally have a higher level of consciousness and self-awareness than nonhuman animals. But in the ways that matter - our ability to feel pain and joy and love and loss - we are equal. And it is because of this that I am vegan. Because I am not morally superior or more worthy of life. My dog does not have more of a right to live than a cow or a fish or a pig or a turkey. What a ridiculous idea we've ingrained in our society that one four-legged animal we've so carefully bred and groomed to be our perfect servants are somehow substantially more significant than another four-legged animal we've also carefully bred and groomed to be the toxins on our plate. We are a silly, dangerous, deadly people.
"What animals are thinking and feeling, and why it should matter"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wkdH_wluhw&list=WL&index=40
Are Ethics Subjective?
Maybe you're thinking now that you understand what I'm saying, but you feel ethically ok with eating or buying certain animal products. After all, this has been a part of our culture for thousands of years. It's just become normal to us. This is a very common response, but it is also the most selfish. Any reason you give to harm an animal is meaningless from the perspective of the victim. To him or her, no matter your excuse, it does not justify you brutalizing or killing them (or paying someone else to do it). Just put yourself or your companion animal in the position of a cow or a chicken or a pig. Even if you didn't fully know what was happening to you, you could still experience the pain of being separated from your children, or being forever locked in a cage so small you couldn't even turn around, or being strung upside down and having your neck sliced open.
“The question is not, can they reason? Nor, can they talk? But, can they suffer?”
-Jeremy Bentham
For the Victims
So, I really don't care if you're ethically ok with slaughtering certain species. I'm here to speak for the victims that have no way to defend themselves from humanity's gluttony because their current fate is so unbearably painful that it's impossible for our privileged minds to comprehend. And this is not an attack against you or your character because I used to feel the same exact way. I refused to eat "red meat," but I felt alright eating chickens, turkeys, and fishes. Simply because I thought pigs and cows were cuter. But someone had to show me that my way of thinking was wrong, to show me how much suffering I caused by my discrimination, and I'm forever a better person because of that.
be conscious, be kind, be vegan
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