That (bold) is the key point, each individual's full potential which isn't same as just height measurement.
In the mid-1980s, Ethiopia underwent a horrific drought and resulting famine. About 1 million people died from starvation and thirst. The country had been privatized through IMF debt restructuring. This gave grain companies such as ADM, Cargill and ConAgra access to cheap or free land and water. This land and water was excluded from much of the native population.
What shocked me was that during the famine years, the country was a next exporter of food. The majority of this food was in the form of animal feed, mostly for cattle.
I found this very disturbing at the time. It still haunts me. I suggest you watch the videos of the famine on the YouTube. Here’s very short one. YouTube
In the 30 years that have followed, I have learned how the animal products industries have devastated the shallow seas through trawling, depleted and contaminated aquifers, created offshore dead zones from run-off and been in the motivation for massive deforestation and elimination of wildlife. If you are interested in the impact on ecosystems, I suggest you watch the film, Cowspiracy.
One of the strangest things that I have learned is that cows are now the top consumers of ocean animals, as they growth hormone they are given is most effective when they are fed animals protein. I met Howard Lyman, a former cattle rancher from Montana. He taught me a great deal about how the animal products industries work. Among the practices he fought to ban was the feeding of calves to their mothers. This was, of course for the protein. I do not consider this part of the natural cycle of life, but rather a mechanism of our civilization.
I was in the Army in the early 1980s. I learned that in other countries, dog meat was common. Although I found it personally repulsive, I could understand how different cultures operated. What shocked me is how the standard practice was to torture the dogs as much as possible before they were killed, beatings, burning, etc.. This kind of treatment is pervasive throughout much of Asia. If you are curious, I suggest you look for videos on the YouTube of the Sulawesi meat market in Indonesia. Here’s short one. YouTube
One would think that we in the West would be far more compassionate. I was deeply disappointed to learn how a large percentage of pigs and chickens in the US are boiled to death and cows dismembered while conscious. I suggest you watch the film, Earthlings. YouTube
I have very gladly left the infantry behind me. The capacity and imperative to commit heinous violence was an awakening. I chose to look at all life and respect its sensitivities as much as I could. I have put up with pedants that cleverly tell me it’s impossible to be 100% vegan in the world. (I’m surrounded by math grad students, outstanding pedants, the lot of them.) They’re right, but that kind of logic would lead me to a destructive nihilism. For me, it’s like being told that since 100% exploitation is impossible, I should therefore enslave whoever I can, sort of the neo-liberal model.
This web of reality includes adverse effects on humans from the animal products industry, as with the case of Ethiopia. My objective is to live to the best of my abilities to provide safety, freedom and kindness. To me, that is an honorable life.
What shocked me was that during the famine years, the country was a next exporter of food. The majority of this food was in the form of animal feed, mostly for cattle.
I found this very disturbing at the time. It still haunts me. I suggest you watch the videos of the famine on the YouTube. Here’s very short one. YouTube
In the 30 years that have followed, I have learned how the animal products industries have devastated the shallow seas through trawling, depleted and contaminated aquifers, created offshore dead zones from run-off and been in the motivation for massive deforestation and elimination of wildlife. If you are interested in the impact on ecosystems, I suggest you watch the film, Cowspiracy.
One of the strangest things that I have learned is that cows are now the top consumers of ocean animals, as they growth hormone they are given is most effective when they are fed animals protein. I met Howard Lyman, a former cattle rancher from Montana. He taught me a great deal about how the animal products industries work. Among the practices he fought to ban was the feeding of calves to their mothers. This was, of course for the protein. I do not consider this part of the natural cycle of life, but rather a mechanism of our civilization.
I was in the Army in the early 1980s. I learned that in other countries, dog meat was common. Although I found it personally repulsive, I could understand how different cultures operated. What shocked me is how the standard practice was to torture the dogs as much as possible before they were killed, beatings, burning, etc.. This kind of treatment is pervasive throughout much of Asia. If you are curious, I suggest you look for videos on the YouTube of the Sulawesi meat market in Indonesia. Here’s short one. YouTube
One would think that we in the West would be far more compassionate. I was deeply disappointed to learn how a large percentage of pigs and chickens in the US are boiled to death and cows dismembered while conscious. I suggest you watch the film, Earthlings. YouTube
I have very gladly left the infantry behind me. The capacity and imperative to commit heinous violence was an awakening. I chose to look at all life and respect its sensitivities as much as I could. I have put up with pedants that cleverly tell me it’s impossible to be 100% vegan in the world. (I’m surrounded by math grad students, outstanding pedants, the lot of them.) They’re right, but that kind of logic would lead me to a destructive nihilism. For me, it’s like being told that since 100% exploitation is impossible, I should therefore enslave whoever I can, sort of the neo-liberal model.
This web of reality includes adverse effects on humans from the animal products industry, as with the case of Ethiopia. My objective is to live to the best of my abilities to provide safety, freedom and kindness. To me, that is an honorable life.
Are you sure it didn't say, vegetarianism when done right, does, at worst, no harm to longevity?
In the same angle, omnivorism when done right, does, at worst, no harm to longevity.
If we agree that suffering pain is the main issue and perhaps not the loss of life itself, then this is an interesting argument What a pain: the ethics of killing animals humanely
I think it's implied that no one recommends eating only raw potatoes. One a day is quite sufficient.
The posts I was responding to implied that there is a general longevity disbenefit to vegetarianism, which is simply untrue to the best of my knowledge.
Some studies have found a correlation of longer life and vegetarianism but that might be precisely because the average vegetarian pays more attention to their health than the average bear.
That film has been brought up and debunked already on this thread.
In USA, "Each year, approximately 1.5 million shelter animals are euthanized (670,000 dogs and..." Pet Statistics | Shelter Intake and Surrender | ASPCA
Don't forget about the importance of making informed decisions.
Best I can make out the "debunking" consisted of one member implying it was propaganda, and another (former cattle farmer) suggesting (without sources) that the AGW impact of wild ruminants would replace the AGW impact of domesticated ones if we all went vegan.
Does that really qualify as "debunking"?
Look up 51% vs 15%. There are more deceptions in that film that's been put under limelight. Look it up.
I still suggest you watch Cowspiracy. The film is referenced throughout. If you disagree some points, perhaps you could enjoy debunking them.
Regarding your point,
"In USA, "Each year, approximately 1.5 million shelter animals are euthanized (670,000 dogs and..." Pet Statistics | Shelter Intake and Surrender | ASPCA"
Tortured dogs in Indonesia are treated very differently from euthanized pets in the US. My point is that we treat food animals quite horribly and that the torture of dogs abroad is a not too distant mirror of this treatment.
Regarding your point,
"In USA, "Each year, approximately 1.5 million shelter animals are euthanized (670,000 dogs and..." Pet Statistics | Shelter Intake and Surrender | ASPCA"
Tortured dogs in Indonesia are treated very differently from euthanized pets in the US. My point is that we treat food animals quite horribly and that the torture of dogs abroad is a not too distant mirror of this treatment.
That film has been debunked already, on this forum and other places.
"Every year, an estimated 3.3 million dogs are taken in by shelters in the U.S.", meaning stray dogs, which are left to die. Many do die from starvation, diseases, attack by other dogs or animals, hit by automobile, slow painful death... etc. The word "torture" comes to mind.
No 'Easy Answer' To Growing Number Of Stray Dogs In The U.S., Advocate Says : NPR
I agree that suffering is not acceptable but that's mostly connected with intensive farming and other illegal tortures. Not they way I intend for sure. When I shoot a deer or a boar it would start to suffer much after his death! The way a butcher kills animals is without pain as well. Once the oxygen doesn't feed to brain anymore or the brain itself is damaged and shut down there is no pain. Instead I see that a lot of people confuse pain with muscular spams.
The advanced search returns "Sorry - no matches. Please try some different terms." on that term both with and without quotes.
I genuinely don't know what you're talking about.
I just said that suffering is not necessary involved with killing. They are two different things. No philosophy or ethics behind it just common sense. There is no reason to cause suffering. It's called ethical kiiling to differentiate because as I said most people confuse muscular spams with suffering.
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