Or so says The Pythagorean Crank. And I must confess, I agree with him 100 percent.
I used to shy away from animal rights as a justification for my veganism, too. And while there are some good non-AR arguments for veganism, none of them seem as robust to me as the animal rights position. Its logic has been inescapable to me for as long as I've been thinking critically. Indeed, it was my skepticism that led me to veganism in the first place. I have a low tolerance for sales-pitches (even though I'm told I'm good at giving them), and there are few pitchmen more vigorous than the meat and dairy industries.
Whenever I'm challenged to defend AR, I simply say, "it's just plain mean to do this to animals when there's no good reason." I find that almost always makes people think and nod their agreement, and I know of at least one person who made the plunge themselves after talking with me. I never once said anything remotely hippy, and I never will.
I'd like to see more vegans do it that way.
About Me
- The Humane Hominid
- I am a politically-progressive, ethically-herbivorous anthropoid pursuing a paleontology education in the Los Angeles Basin. I am largely nocturnal, have rarely been photographed, and cannot thrive in captivity.
I agree with you, 100%. Such a simple thing to say, and it could cut down on a lot of ramble mamble that leads nowhere. I'm certainly going that way from now on!
ReplyDeleteMany advocates shy away from animal rights because the ideology sounds so abstract and complex. There are ways to bring it home though and your solution is a perfect example! No woo needed.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the post!
Nice.
ReplyDeleteWhen I tell someone I'm vegan they usually ask if it's for health reasons, and my shortest answer is: No, it's for ethical reasons / animal reasons." If someone's interested in a longer answer, I always talk about animal cruelty, never health or environment (neither of which I totally believe.)