Again and again I hear the argument "people have always eaten meat" from meat eaters. Is that just a cheap excuse for not going vegan or Become a vegetarian? Or is there more to it? Since the growing consumption of meat massively contributes to many of the biggest environmental problems of our time contributes, promotes typical civilization diseases and demands a sacrifice, we should at least question it.
In this article, I want to shed light on the argument and show why "we've always done it that way" is not a logical reason to justify eating animal products like meat.
Have humans always eaten meat?
It's true. We humans eat animals and plants - and the fact that we have eaten meat has given us an enormous survival advantage in our evolutionary history. But unlike our ancestors, we no longer need to eat meat to survive.
Nevertheless the increasing consumption of meat in our society the reason that the livestock industry produces ever faster, cheaper and crueler. Male chicks, for example, are so worthless to the industry that they are shredded immediately after birth (see Chick Shredding) or be gassed. Male calves are also of little economic value and therefore have far too short a life. They are also a "by-product of the industry", as cows only give milk when they have had offspring. As soon as the mother cows are exhausted and no longer give milk, they are killed and processed into meat. In brutal but routine processes, 74 billion farm animals are thus killed worldwide every year.₁ These processes or the Factory farming have not always been like this. But today they are commonplace - and should give us all food for thought.
Cruel or not, just because we've always done something definitely doesn't mean it's automatically right to keep doing it. After all, in the course of our evolution we also stopped living in caves, wearing loincloths or keeping slaves. In the end, everyone decides for themselves how they want to eat. But meat consumption can definitely not be justified by the fact that we have always done it this way.
Fortunately, with the alternative, purely plant-based diet, we do not have to fear any negative, health consequences. Moreover, it has never been easier to eat vegan than it is today. In the Post about vegan life you will find simple tips and tricks for a good and successful start.
"Always eaten meat" does not mean that it is morally justifiable
You know that situation in the office where a colleague tells you that certain documents have always been printed out and filed away in a fat, heavy binder? Today, files can be stored digitally. You can access them from anywhere, Save paper in the office and doesn't have to carry heavy folders. Why then should one continue to stick to "what one has always done"? Such moments are made for positive change. And so it is with eating meat.
We know that we have alternative, plant-based foods that protect our planet, our health and other living things. So it's time to question our own diet and change it step by step but very specifically.
Do you have any questions or your own experience with the argument "We have always eaten meat"? Then just write me a comment under this article.
Stay sustainable,
PS.: If you're not quite convinced yet, be sure to check out the Reasons for veganism an. Also the article Convince meat eaters, will help you for sure!
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.
