The Idea of Speciesism

Icalasari

Just... Bwuh?

One guy compared doing things like eating animals to the Holocaust O.o;

I never knew Wikipedia could actually manage to confuse me with a non math article

Gelzo

Well to play devil's advocate, if you value all animal life equally, it's fair to say that the systematic killing of animals on a large scale is comparable to a genocide. The main difference is that we help keep the populations high rather than trying to exterminate them.

Of course, you have to draw the line somewhere, or else you end up excluding plant life from your diet and consume nothing but dairy, fruit, seeds, and eggs. Oh, and honey.

Icalasari

Ah, but Gelzo, would it not be speciesest to take milk, fruit, seeds, eggs, and honey without giving proper reparations to the species in question? :P

Icalasari

Ah, but then aren't we still imposing our will on the other species by taking things from their environment? And what about any species that feed on rocks (if I recall, lichen break down rocks for nutrients)?

Gelzo

^^^I suppose that's the idea behind veganism. But I'd say helping keep a population high ought to give us some moral lenience. Can it ever be wrong to create life- even for the purpose of consumption- provided it does not cause suffering?

Icalasari

^ Personally, I think the answer is as simple as show respect to the animal. It may not be as intelligent as a human, and as such likely won't go, "OH GOD THEY ARE EATING US SOYLENT HAM IS PIG!", but can certainly go, "Well fuck, who the hell would put us in a cage we can't even move in?", and then making the death quick and simple

Heck, for all we know, we could be in that situation and aliens/the mole people/ninja zombies are just that good :P