Speciesism, morality etc

[Guest guest]

Geoff wrote:

 

> I have the same prob when my non-veggie wife takes me to her family

> home. I am bombarded with speciesist hostility - comments like " the

> best food is from something that's looked over a hedge " , generally

> in good natured banter. They're too old or narrow-minded to consider

> any ethical or philosophical arguments, but I often am able to nudge

> a wink when they see news about Mad Cow Disease, non-meat diets get

> recommended by their surgeons, and when issues of green living

> become important.

 

We have our own emotionally tinged phrases, about not eating anything that

has a face, had a mum etc. - but these are usually only appealing to the

committed - the same applies of course to the speciesist phrases but

unfortunately those believers are in a majority in a lot of situations. What

I hate most is the question " why are you a vegetarian " usually posed at a

moment when I don't feel like answering it and couldn't anyway in a way that

would be easily comprehensible to the questioner.

 

Anyway I'm sure you defend yourself ably in these discussions - what I

consider immoral are people who secretively add meat products (bouillon

etc.) to things in the belief that it's really good for us, or that it

doesn't matter - or fail to check whether margarine etc. is vegetarian.

That's my main problem with dissident spouses, and when the spouse is

otherwise congenial in all respects the solution is not obvious. Take the

reins of the kitchen is one possibility - but that's a big effort!

 

For non-speciesism I just heard an excellent discussion in the series

" Iconoclasts " on BBC, with Peter Singer representing advanced views on that

and a variety of matters. See

http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/programmes/iconoclasts/singer.shtml for a

description or to listen again on

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/aod/radio4_aod.shtml?radio4/iconoclasts

 

Piers