It wasn’t the first time. The picturesque town of Jičín offers not only natural or man-made beauties but also harsh realities. Me and my friends were walking down the street where a slaughterhouse is. The pigs screaming before death were unbearable for someone who extends his empathy to animals. Of course, we (at least in the vast majority of Europe) have a heightened standard of living. So we eat more meat than 100 years ago. But this also means more suffering for the animals who were tortured and led to their death.
Imagine someone is aiming a gun at your head or you are dying
The horrors pigs experience before death are worse than death itself. They are not extremely stressed but out of their minds. While I get the notion that pigs are morally twisted (yes, they are not humans), we are humans and should act in some manner of morality.
A friend of mine nearly puked as we were witnesses of the acts (and the odor), despite his being a pretty resilient individual in many aspects.
A family member of mine who is a meat eater admitted – what we are doing to them Hitler had done to Jews and so on. And when I mentioned the suffering before the actual slaughter, his brisk response was: “In no time, they are about to get electricity and that’s the end.”
They would have won had they been never born
Billions of chickens are raised for meat (broilers) and egg production (layers) each year, the global population of pigs is also in the billions, another billion of sheep, a billion of goats, and a billion of ducks. And around a quarter billion turkeys. Millions of cattle are bred for beef and dairy production.
Even if only one of 10,000 livestock was tortured (and that is grossly incorrect), the history of meat consumption is far worse than the Holocaust in absolute terms. The human tragedy was finite in time, this is infinite.
Their suffering is so severe that (in theory) killing them at the very beginning of their life would be oblivion. But no, they must go through it.
Horrific examples of the human race treating animals
Many animals are kept in extremely confined spaces where they can barely move. For example, chickens in battery cages, pigs in gestation crates, and cows in feedlots often have little room to turn around, spread their wings, or lie down comfortably. This intense confinement can lead to physical ailments, stress, and behavioral issues like aggression or self-mutilation.
Animals in factory farms or other breeding facilities may be subjected to physical abuse. Workers may hit, kick, or otherwise harm animals to force them into compliance, move them more quickly, or out of frustration. This abuse can result in broken bones, bruises, and other injuries.
Various painful procedures are often performed on animals without any pain relief. For example, piglets may have their tails docked, teeth clipped, and testicles removed without anesthesia. Chickens may have their beaks trimmed to prevent pecking in overcrowded conditions. These procedures can cause chronic pain and suffering.
Unnatural growth
Some animals are subjected to forced feeding to increase their weight rapidly, such as in the production of foie gras, where ducks or geese are force-fed large amounts of food through a tube. Additionally, animals like broiler chickens are selectively bred to grow unnaturally fast, leading to severe health problems like heart failure, respiratory issues, and skeletal deformities.
In dairy farming, calves are often taken away from their mothers shortly after birth so that the milk can be harvested for human consumption. This separation causes immense distress for both the mother and the calf. The mother may bellow and search for her calf for days, while the calf is typically isolated or raised in solitary confinement.
Animals in intensive breeding operations are typically denied the ability to express their natural behaviors. For instance, pigs are highly intelligent and social animals, but they are often kept in barren environments without opportunities for exploration, play, or social interaction. This deprivation can lead to severe psychological distress and abnormal behaviors.
Animals are often transported long distances to slaughterhouses or other facilities in crowded, filthy conditions, without adequate food, water, or rest. The stress and exhaustion from these journeys can lead to injury, illness, or death. In some cases, animals are exposed to extreme temperatures during transport, which can cause additional suffering.
Slaughtering may involve significant suffering
The process of slaughtering animals can involve significant suffering, especially if humane methods are not used. Animals may be improperly stunned, leading to conscious pain and fear during slaughter. In some cases, animals are killed through inhumane methods such as being skinned or boiled alive, particularly in less regulated environments.
Throughout their lives, animals in breeding operations often experience high levels of stress and fear. The constant presence of humans, the unnatural and hostile environment, and the anticipation of pain or death can lead to chronic anxiety and fear.
In some breeding operations, animals may be deliberately starved or deprived of water to control their weight or to prepare them for slaughter. For instance, laying hens that no longer produce eggs at the desired rate might be subjected to “forced molting,” a practice where they are starved to reset their reproductive cycle. This causes extreme distress and weakness.
Lack of veterinary care and inhumane euthanasia
Many animals in intensive farming operations do not receive adequate veterinary care. When animals fall ill or are injured, they may be left to suffer without treatment because providing medical care is seen as too costly. In some cases, sick or injured animals are killed or discarded because they are no longer considered profitable. This neglect leads to prolonged suffering and a slow, painful death for many animals.
When animals are no longer profitable, they may be euthanized using inhumane methods. For instance, male chicks in the egg industry, who are considered useless because they do not lay eggs, are often ground up alive in industrial macerators or suffocated in plastic bags. Similarly, pigs who are too sick or injured to be sent to slaughter may be killed by blunt force trauma, a practice that involves striking the animal’s head with a heavy object.
We are so scientifically advanced we don’t need to breed them
The GDP was 101.3 trillion USD in 2022. We have superb scientific innovations, people are buying overpriced toys from one unnamed technological company and we are capable of conducting this.
The issue is we can eat meat without causing horrific pain, meanwhile eating out at its best.
Cultured meat, also known as lab-grown or cell-based meat, cultured meat is produced by culturing animal cells in a controlled environment. This process allows for the production of meat without raising and slaughtering animals. While still in the early stages of commercial production, cultured meat has the potential to provide the same taste and nutritional benefits as conventional meat without the associated ethical concerns.
Products like those from Beyond Meat, Impossible Foods, and other companies offer plant-based alternatives that closely mimic the taste, texture, and appearance of animal meat. These products are made from ingredients like pea protein, soy, and other plant-based sources, providing a cruelty-free alternative that can be used in a wide variety of dishes.
Other alternatives
Beans, lentils, chickpeas, tofu, tempeh, seitan, and other plant-based proteins can be used as meat substitutes in many traditional recipes. These foods are not only cruelty-free but also offer health benefits, such as lower cholesterol and a reduced risk of certain diseases.
Insect protein includes edible insects, like crickets and mealworms, are a sustainable source of protein that can be raised with minimal environmental impact and without the same level of animal suffering. Insects are increasingly being incorporated into various food products, including protein bars, snacks, and even insect-based burgers.
Mycoprotein (Quorn) is a meat substitute made from mycoprotein, derived from a fungus. It is a highly sustainable and protein-rich food source that can be used in a variety of dishes as a meat alternative. Mycoprotein products are widely available and can be used in place of ground meat, chicken, and other meats in recipes.
Am I grotesque, immoral, or just degenerated?
After all of this, I admit – while I am not definitely alone – I do eat meat. But I try to minimize it and choose such products (yes, this sounds gross) that are from more “humane treatment”, the animals are either big or don’t have consciousness (tuna fish).
You won’t find me in a kebab house in an unnamed city I have conflict with personnel because of the brutal and inhumane slaughter. If there isn’t the religious slaughter I buy it, despite reading it still contains some huge percentage of lamb. And the lamb is still being slaughtered religiously. So I consume it with caution.
I am a rich person, yet want communism
Hate it or love it, eating meat is highly immoral. As I said, I am limiting it, yet I am neither vegetarian (despite previous attempts) nor vegan. Since I can’t regulate myself, I would like meat to be banned, and humankind should provide all the scientific advancements to make the world (yes, even developing countries) meatless. That would make me moral.
It’s like Warren Buffett and Bill Gates (regardless of what intentions they actually had) advocating for taxing the rich. They won’t give money away voluntarily, yet they want it to be enforced by law.
Animals, without a doubt, lack human emotions, although I admit they can possess some. If they weren’t born, they wouldn’t have to undergo our Nazi-like practices.
Einstein, meat and conclusion
They say Albert Einstein was a person with extreme foresight (global government, nuclear disarmament). And while he had foreseen the disgusting obvious racism all of America was uncaring about, he ate meat. You may say he was smarter than I am, therefore he had been eating it. No, arguments (Argument from authority), not the social reputation of a scientist, do matter. And I guess I didn’t make any cognitive bias, fallacy, or formal fallacy in this article.
If I were such a superstar, I would have definitely reevaluated my choices and become a role model, leaving eating meat for the immoral.
So we must acknowledge the brutality and limit our consumption according to what we are ready to bear morally.
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