Again and again I hear from meat eaters the argument that the "Humans at the top of the food chain". would be. Sometimes this is more of a bad joke - but often it is also bitterly serious. So are we really this one, superior apex predator?
In this post, I want to briefly and succinctly explain to you why I don't think we are at the top of the food chain.
Why humans are not at the top of the food chain
First of all, we humans are not at the top of a natural food chain. Otherwise, we wouldn't be afraid of encountering a lion unarmed. Or in a pool to swim with crocodiles or sharks. Maximum by a weapon we would then be able to subdue these animals. On the other hand, a food chain is a Group of organisms that are dependent on each other for food, in a certain order. However, we are not dependent on eating animal body parts. We can eat a purely plant-based diet and not fear any negative, health consequences.
Even if we were at a top of the food chain: how could we justify exploiting and killing some 74 billion farm animals every year just to eat their body parts when we don't have to?₁ And why do we humans get so uncomfortable when we see pictures of how these animals live in the Factory farming be treated? In any case, that's not exactly the reaction you would expect from an apex predator.
Tip: I've written you another separate post about how you can Best convince meat eaters can. Without being pushy, but simply with a portion of logic. My personal recommendation is that your counterpart should look at these vegan documentaries should look at.
The food chain is not a logical argument against veganism and for eating meat
So none of us have "fought our way to the top of the food chain" - there simply is no top! But we think we are standing there. And that is one of the main reasons for the biggest man-made environmental problems of our time, like the climate change or the rapid Deforestation of the rainforests.
In the end, however, we are simply part of different food webs that do not depend on eating meat. But we do depend on living in a functioning ecosystem. We should not put our livelihood in danger by such a convenient argument as "we are at the top of the food chain" - just to justify cruel, and completely unnecessary acts.
Do you have questions or your own experiences with the food chain argument that you'd like to share? Then feel free to write me a comment.
Stay sustainable,
PS.: You are not yet completely convinced of the plant-based diet or veganism? Then be sure to check out my article on the Reasons for veganism an.
References:
₁ Things Explained - In Brief: Meat - The World's Tastiest Evil, YouTube, Jan. 24, 2019, web, May 07, 2020 at 10:50 a.m., in: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6f3dwxexZM.
