"veganism" isn't what it purports to be
On Dec 29, 5:18*pm, "Dutch" > wrote:
> "Rupert" > wrote in message
>
> ...
> On Dec 29, 11:01 am, "Dutch" > wrote:
>
>
>
> > "Rupert" > wrote
>
> > Never in my life have I believed that the typical vegan lifestyle does
> > not involving buying any products whose production contributes to the
> > suffering and premature death of sentient nonhumans. I was well aware
> > that that was not the case in adolescence, before I seriously
> > contemplated giving up meat, and frequently discussed the point with
> > my friends. I would certainly be aware of the truth of that matter one
> > way or the other. I believe you once remarked that I had no reason to
> > disbelieve Dutch about some testimony that he gave, well, you have no
> > rational grounds whatsoever for disbelieving this testimony.
> > ---------->
>
> > Again, the elephant in the room, the REAL issue, the issue of viewing
> > animals as commodities. I think the concern is misguided politicking.
>
> > Veganism clearly addresses that issue, but vegans frequently confuse,
> > conflate and equivocate that issue with issues of legitimate concern, like
> > health, the environment and animal suffering. Don't assume that by
> > avoiding
> > that sauce or substituting that tofu steak for that salmon steak you
> > contributed to lessening animal suffering in any meaningful way, even
> > though
> > you fulfilled your goal to remain pure, to avoid being an "exploiter"
> > using
> > animals *as end products*.
>
> I'm not sure what your point is here,
> ------>
>
> I could hardly make it any clearer, *veganism*, the substitition of products
> which do not contain animal parts, fulfils the principle of not *exploiting
> animals as commodities* but does not elevate or deify the vegan in any way
> more than the omnivore who also takes steps to reduce his impact. Being a
> vegan *overall* probably has a positive effect in this regard, but it
> carries the risk of turning the person into an anal-retentive nit who
> studies the small print on bottles of sauce in dimply-lit restaurants,
> sneers secretively at people in the meat aisle, and drops unsolicited
> insulting, not-very-subtle suggestions to others about how they should eat.
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