Inconsistent Views Towards Animal Rights
Inconsistent Views Towards Animal Rights
Among other reasons I became a vegan because I cannot justify needlessly killing an animal. If I needed to kill and eat animals to survive I would. However we do no longer need to kill animals to survive. A person can just as easily survive without eating meat while remaining just as healthy.
In fact we have the technology to essentially create meat without killing animals considering how simple of a substance meat is. We recreate meat in the form of meat substitutes such as soy burgers.
Despite their ability to live easily without killing animals for food many people still choose to eat meat. These people do not grant animals the right to life. If a person murdered another person and then ate that other person almost all people would adamantly oppose it. Meanwhile these same people slaughter animals without giving it a second thought.
It is hard to understand why murdering a human is so objectionable while murdering an animal is not. Most of us vegans and animal rights supporters view that as very inconsistent.
The inconsistency of people’s views towards animal rights goes further though. While people carelessly murder animals because they like the taste of meat and the look of leather these same people fall heads over heels about “cuter” animals. For example pigs are generally smarter than dogs but many people object to the idea of needlessly murdering and eating a dog.
People look at Michael Vick like he is a monster for organizing dog fights which is utterly hypocritical and inconsistent. Fighting dogs probably do not suffer any more than factoryfarmed chickens who are debeaked stuffed into an overpacked cage and eventually slaughtered. Why do people think it is fine to make animals suffer for the enjoyment of leather or the taste of a meaty burger but not for the entertainment of a dog fight?
Of course many people have inconsistent views when it even comes to entertainment and animal rights. Having dogs fight or cock fights for entertainment is seen as wrong and often made illegal but hunting for entertainment is a common pastime.
Some may try to excuse the inconsistency by saying that killing is not as horrible as making the animal suffer while staying alive. However there is still more inconsistency here. Why then do they not have a problem with animal testing? Animal testers carelessly torture animals with unsafe and dangerous products to make perfumes and other needless products. If needlessly torturing animals for petty pleasures is so objectionable to these people it is inconsistent for them to buy beauty products that have been tested on animals.
Simply put most people base their views regarding animal rights on emotions rather than on rationality which results in irrational inconsistencies. Many people do not want to reconsider their inconsistent views regarding animal rights because that would likely lead to giving up meat leather and other animal products.
About the writer: Scott Hughes owns and operates VeganClub.org which is a great website with information about veganism and animal rights. You can discuss these ideas and more in the Vegan Forums. It’s completely free and all viewpoints are welcome.
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