Our equals, the animals, even the pig?

1496: 

Captive animals, such as a pig:  Care is withdrawn, and any kind of relationship with any human must not exist throughout an animal's life.  The love of the little piglet vanishes on day two, and stays that way till the animal is terminated.  The farmer's emotional detachment and withdrawal-of-caring, starts with the farmer and continues on, through packers, producers, retailers and customers, until the 'very dead' material of the animal is eaten.

How are humans able to change attitude, from loving the animal at birth, to the cold 'handling' they receive from then on?  Perhaps because the farmer knows he has to finally betray the animal when it leaves him for the abattoir?   We can't seem to grasp what that ability-to-betray means?  There's no direct repercussion, Nature works her way slowly, for better eventual effect!  But we must ask, today, how the farmer or customer is going to see animals differently, if only for the sake of their own self-respect. How to respond kindly to the animal, not just the cute and cuddly ones but all animals, even the pig? How we look out for them. How we see them, and 'see' is the key word here. See with open eyes.

What is mostly keeping our eyes closed is food.  We can't see anything about our relationship with animals by eating them.

The first step in changing the nature of our relationship (especially with these animals) is not by eating them.  But the real problem here, in anticipation of improving our relationship with the animal is that after the first step there's always another step.  And at each step there appears yet another self-requirement.  And that becomes overwhelming.  THIS is what mostly puts people off becoming a vegan.  Not the food but the follow up which is too daunting

Following on leads us towards that most indigestible thought that, just possibly, not in every way of course, but in general (this is where we take that step-further)  we come to regard animals as our equals.  So that, if humans have rights then so should animals.  Not the right to vote or receive a comprehensive education or wear warm clothing, but for us to live alongside them as equal partners.

Egalitarianism is really a gigantic levelling process, where dog, human and tree exist on one plane, without separation - if we’re affectionate towards our beloved dog, then surely we can be the same with any living thing, even to the least lovable.  Even to the pig.