People Eating Animals Isn’t Actually Like Lions Eating Animals
What this vegan thinks of lions
Many people feel an uneasiness around the death of animals for meat — it’s not just vegans and vegetarians. I recently read this eloquent story by a proud Greek-Italian meat lover, who still had difficulty watching slaughterhouse footage.
Still, in our culture it’s easy to feel absurd for caring about the death of animals. Eating meat is so widespread, and has been for so long, that most people simply view it as inevitable.
A common argument vegetarians and vegans run into is that avoiding meat goes against nature. After all, animals eat other animals. Why shouldn’t we? For some reason, when people discuss this we always mention lions. Lions are a like a symbol of our license to consume flesh.
What do I make of this, as a longtime vegan? Why do I continue to avoid eating animals — despite how ingrained it is not only in human traditions, but in the wide web of wildlife?
Whether you’re just trying to understand those who won’t eat meat, or whether you’re seeking reassurance that your feelings of compassion are rational, I hope this article is useful.
