Vegan ethics: seeing the damage

There are multiple reasons one may give for going vegan, be it for their health, for the environment, etc. However, there has never been a stronger argument not only to go vegan, but to stay vegan, than the argument from morality.

Animal Harm

There are hundreds of billions of land animals and trillions of sea animals, that are slaughtered every year in the world. These animals are known to feel pain and distress, and can suffer. They are sentient and can feel emotions, such as love, joy, fear, and loss. These animals suffer by the billions every single day just so we can enjoy the taste of their flesh.

Most of us claim to be animal lovers and are disgusted at events like the Yulin Dog Festival, or the shooting of lions in Africa for sport. However, there seems! to be a disconnect when it comes to certain animals. Melanie Joy, a predominant animal rights activist, calls this disconnect Carnism, or the dominant belief system that conditions people into not thinking too hard, or dismissing, about why they eat animals. We are often disgusted at the idea of eating cat, but not at the idea of eating pig.

Many people see the atrocities, and as a result buy organic, or free-range products in order to appease their guilt. However, these products are known to come from just as horrid conditions as the regular products, and often still include awful standard practices such as debeaking, and the grinding up of baby chicks alive. These products are often just marketing gigs, and can never be as ethical to purchase as vegan alternatives.

Carnism Hurts Humans Too

Also, not only do these animals suffer but by purchasing these products and promoting the further slaughter of these animals, you are harming human beings as well. Slaughterhouse workers are known to be harmed in many ways, it has even been reported that workers in companies such as Tyson, Purdue, Sanderson Farms, and Pilgrims Pride have been denied bathroom breaks for so long that they were forced to wear diapers during their shifts.

In order to prevent these atrocities from happening to both animals, as well as our fellow human beings, a lot of people are starting to become vegan. Veganism would otherwise be thought of as a boycott, by reducing the demand for these unethical products, and increasing demand for ethical products, vegans are helping to reduce this suffering, and forcing companies to change their practices. Eating vegan can be as cheap, healthy, convenient, or as simple as you want to be. So just by taking this simple step, you will be helping hundreds of animals a year.