As veganism has grown in popularity, people often ask how we think meat is made. The truth is that it’s a pretty silly question. Vegans don’t eat meat because they are concerned about the welfare of animals and believe that meat is unnecessary for human health. They are also aware that the meat industry is a leading contributor to climate change and other environmental issues.
Many vegans have a strong connection to the animal rights movement and abide by the ethical principles of animal liberation and utilitarian ethics established by Princeton University and University of Melbourne professor Peter Singer. He believes that non-human animals are able to feel, and that they deserve better treatment than they receive.
When it comes to eating meat, the most important consideration for vegans is whether or not the animal was treated well before being slaughtered. Some people, like Hehl, say they would never eat the body of a baby deer that their father shot and kept in his basement freezer because they think it’s unethical to eat meat from animals that lived a sad life.
Other people, however, argue that lab-grown meat is a better alternative because it doesn’t involve the suffering of animals. This argument ignores the fact that these new products will be made, controlled, and pushed on people by the very corporations who are driving up meat consumption and contributing to the climate crisis. This type of top-down solution will likely only lead to a temporary reduction in meat consumption, and won’t help solve any of the real problems that we face.
