Self deception

1625: 

Even if we don’t actually take part in the grisly act of murdering animals ourselves, we give tacit support to those who do, even though we might feel sad for the whole sorry business.

         

It seems that some humans are able to hurt animals without a second thought, whilst most others couldn’t or wouldn’t.  However, most of us ‘kind-hearted people’ are able to stand-by and watch-yet-not-see. It’s a little like watching the school bully beat up a small kid in the playground but pretending not to be looking in that direction. We have to wonder if it’s disturbing because of the pain our empathy causes us, or if it’s the guilt we feel from being passive about it. 

The defenceless child is much the same as the defenceless animal, each needs protection, although the animal is not merely being bullied but, because of its property status, it's in danger of being killed. Imagine a pig at the slaughter house, being pushed into a chute, with its life about to be terminated. Apart from feeling immediate disgust, we feel the nastiest prick of conscience when we try to look away? What can we do for this animal? Absolutely nothing, since it's an owned slave; the owner can legally end its life. But what can we do for the next one? Obviously, the choice is ours - to become a vegan. If we decide to do nothing we're simply weighing up the disadvantages of getting involved - a classic 'non-act' of self-interest.

Which brings us to ‘eating meat’? Such an ordinary event. But now, knowing how immoral it is and how immoral it is to remain uninvolved, everything should change, but it doesn’t. The surprise is that we can still eat animals and their by-products, whilst knowing what we’re condoning, whilst justifying something we know is insupportable.

         

When there’s nowhere honourable to go, we have to retreat into self-deception. It's rather like being ambushed by some horrible mental condition that's waiting to leap out and crush our spirit.