Eating meat is not ethically wrong. What is wrong is how we approach eating meat as a culture; the running of factory farms and inhumane treatment of animals is not caused by eating meat. It is caused by a culture that 'husbands' resources, and treats our 'mother earth' as a means to whatever end we have in mind.
Factory farming and the inhumane treatment of animals is caused by a deep disrespect and disregard of the world and those who share it with us, in favor or personal profit and gain.
This is a cultural issue. This attitude of disrespect and using others and resources to suit our personal agenda is a deep part of our culture. We, culturally, believe there is no other way; and we have set up our economy so that it does appear
there is no other way. Tibetan culture and eskimo culture demonstrate that this is not necessarily true; there are alternatives.
We as individuals, can only do the best we can to demonstrate there are other ways. Other ways, to me, does not show up by turning this one issue into one of ethics. Eating meat is not ethically wrong. Our entire cultural context is one of destruction of our environment, and disregarding the needs of others, to serve our own lifestyle.
Driving cars is not wrong. But when you throw so many emissions into the air that you cause your neighbors across the sea to have acid rain, and you change the weather, then you have taken it to the point that there is a problem. There have been so many options at our disposal to avoid this. There was a engine modification discovered in the '50s that would allow those big tanky cars to operate with 60 mpg efficiency. It was squashed, in the name of profit; purchased by one of the big car companies in america, and hidden away, never to be found again.
So, to me, at the root of the issue, is the deep disregard and disrespect we hold for others and our world. What do I, personally, do about that. Well, I try to walk the line of respect and regard as best I can; in the end all we can address is our own attitudes and behaviors.
And as for addressing starvation around the world; how about we start by addressing starvation of our neighbors. Starvation in the US is a very real issue. If we can't solve it here, what makes you think we can solve it anywhere else.
What has bothered me about this discussion is those who focus in on a symptom of the problem as the problem. There will be many, many symptoms until the underlying culture changes. And how do we change culture; well we change it one person at a time until we reach the tipping point. To become accusatory and to paint one behavior (eating meat) as the problem is just plain short-sighted; a very good example of linear thinking. To treat those who eat meat with disrespect, is to me, just another symptom of how our culture is -- in the end that kind of behavior and attitude is really just part of the problem, since it is symptom-specific, and it does nothing to change the culture of disrespect and disregard for others (including animals) for personal gain. In my opinion it weighs in on the side of force, and so it reinforces our resistance to change and becomes counter-productive.
Did you know that when you make people do something, because you require it, there is ALWAYS a pushback. That discussion in the book
Power Verses Force to me is very helpful in understanding what is important in effecting change. Whenever you force, you create equal resistance. So real change does not come by forcing or insisting (by pushing and disrespecting; by shaming and blaming) -- I have been involved in organizational behavior for decades; I know this is true not just because a book says it is true, but because I see the pushback whenever change is forced. Ghandi did not force. And yet he effected great change in the world.
There you go. Blessings from Belle,
