Tuesday, July 26, 2005
Culture: Why Using Animal Products is Not Cruel
I posted this on atlantacuisine.com on a discussion about foie gras, and it pretty well sums up my thoughts about why using animal products is not "cruelty", as PeTA cultists like to claim.
Cruelty is deriving pleasure from causing pain or death in another living thing. The reason why cruelty is wrong is because such an individual might later do the same thing to a human being.
For instance, I have actively maintained a parasite-host relationship with several plants (where I was the parasite, mind you!). Was that cruel? No. But what would others think of me if I grew plants and then torched them all, bragging about how ending the lives of the plants brought me great pleasure? They would rightly be frightened by my behavior, and they would be frightened for the reason that I might decide to expand my sadistic impulses to affect their loved ones.
That said, foie gras production would be cruel only if the individual doing the force feeding was finding joy through causing suffering. And, in that case, the only person to be prosecuted for such cruelty would be the perpetrator of the cruelty. So to call foie gras production "cruel" makes no sense. To label me as "cruel" for enjoying foie gras makes no sense. I don't enjoy causing pain in other creatures. In fact, I'm mostly numb to the idea (which still isn't cruelty). I merely enjoy the yummy, succulent flavor of foie gras and many other products derived from animals.
PeTA is a misanthropic pseudo-cult that deserves to be exposed, ridiculed, and prosecuted. The fact that they would impugn me with the actions of a sadistic killer to support their anti-human zealotry excuses them from rational discourse.
Cruelty is deriving pleasure from causing pain or death in another living thing. The reason why cruelty is wrong is because such an individual might later do the same thing to a human being.
For instance, I have actively maintained a parasite-host relationship with several plants (where I was the parasite, mind you!). Was that cruel? No. But what would others think of me if I grew plants and then torched them all, bragging about how ending the lives of the plants brought me great pleasure? They would rightly be frightened by my behavior, and they would be frightened for the reason that I might decide to expand my sadistic impulses to affect their loved ones.
That said, foie gras production would be cruel only if the individual doing the force feeding was finding joy through causing suffering. And, in that case, the only person to be prosecuted for such cruelty would be the perpetrator of the cruelty. So to call foie gras production "cruel" makes no sense. To label me as "cruel" for enjoying foie gras makes no sense. I don't enjoy causing pain in other creatures. In fact, I'm mostly numb to the idea (which still isn't cruelty). I merely enjoy the yummy, succulent flavor of foie gras and many other products derived from animals.
PeTA is a misanthropic pseudo-cult that deserves to be exposed, ridiculed, and prosecuted. The fact that they would impugn me with the actions of a sadistic killer to support their anti-human zealotry excuses them from rational discourse.
Comments:
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You wrote: "Nowhere is there a reference to taking *pleasure* in causing pain/grief/injury - just a reference to the *willingness* to do so despite an awareness of the nature of the act."
But why would someone be willing unless they got something out of it? Hence: pleasure.
You wrote: "If you know the process from whence foie gras then at least have the courage and honesty to say 'an animal lost its life so that I could chow down on its tasty liver'."
An animal lost its life so that I can chow down on its tasty liver. Furthermore, lots of animals have died or been inconvenienced because of the lifestyle I choose to live. In fact, the only way for me to *NOT* inconveneince some other animal in some way is for me to commit suicide, as each breath I take is oxygen that could be used by some animal somewhere. I would personally strangle every single panda on the planet if it would save the life of my child. I have no shame in stating this and behaving according to it. There is nothing immoral about it according to my values (as I do NOT value animal life in and of itself).
You wrote: "Don't be smug, gloat or think that you are above hypocricy. Oh, and read 'Animal Rights' by Peter Singer, it'll learn ya some."
Speaking of being smug: physician, heal thyself, since apparently you think I'm "unlearned" and have some need to read something that you thing is so awesome. And if you can point out where I'm being smug, then I'll be happy to change my behavior. Like you, I am nothing more than a talking feed bag for worms and germs, and for that reason any elitism on my part and yours is immoral.
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But why would someone be willing unless they got something out of it? Hence: pleasure.
You wrote: "If you know the process from whence foie gras then at least have the courage and honesty to say 'an animal lost its life so that I could chow down on its tasty liver'."
An animal lost its life so that I can chow down on its tasty liver. Furthermore, lots of animals have died or been inconvenienced because of the lifestyle I choose to live. In fact, the only way for me to *NOT* inconveneince some other animal in some way is for me to commit suicide, as each breath I take is oxygen that could be used by some animal somewhere. I would personally strangle every single panda on the planet if it would save the life of my child. I have no shame in stating this and behaving according to it. There is nothing immoral about it according to my values (as I do NOT value animal life in and of itself).
You wrote: "Don't be smug, gloat or think that you are above hypocricy. Oh, and read 'Animal Rights' by Peter Singer, it'll learn ya some."
Speaking of being smug: physician, heal thyself, since apparently you think I'm "unlearned" and have some need to read something that you thing is so awesome. And if you can point out where I'm being smug, then I'll be happy to change my behavior. Like you, I am nothing more than a talking feed bag for worms and germs, and for that reason any elitism on my part and yours is immoral.
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