A Dog’s Life in China, article in the Sydney Morning Herald

This article appeared in the Sydney Morning Herald last week and I thought it would be worthwhile to talk about. It brings up a few issues that I think people don’t even notice when they think of ‘pet’ animals and ‘food’ animals.

What I’m talking about is compartmentalism. In terms of the animal rights movement, I’ve taken it to be the tendency for individuals to separate different animals into different categories depending on how their “use” is defined. For example, in Western culture a dog is considered a pet, an animal that is ‘part of the family’. We would never think of eating a dog. That is what cows, pigs, sheep, chickens, ducks, etc etc are for. These animals are considered “food animals”because we use them for food.

So why is there this need to separate these animals into categories? Meat is meat, right? Why do we not eat the cute furry animals like dogs and cats, but other animals that many people think are ugly or stupid, like chickens, are relegated to the “ok to be eat” category?

I won’t get into any psychological arguments here, because I don’t pretend to have that kind of insight. The point of bringing this up is merely that: I just think it should be brought up.

Now, you probably know where I stand in terms of animal rights: animals are not ours to use for food, entertainment, or otherwise. They are not objects, they are sentient beings. That being said, I of course am of the mind to be completely opposed to to idea of compartmentalism. It is another one of those strange things that people do to justify their horrible traditions/actions.

I just think it is completely ridiculous for someone to say they like animals like “pet animals”, but then sit there and munch on the flesh of another “food” animal.

In the article, it is mentioned that there are some dogs that are being sold as pets (little cute ones) that would never be thought of as food. But then there are dogs that are considered to be food. How can such a thing make sense? How can these people think it is any different to eat a Rottweiler versus a Shih Tzu? They’re both dogs, people!

This makes complete sense to us here in America, I would assume, because every person I’ve ever talked to about eating dog always get that disgusted look on their faces and insist that that is a cruel and unnatural thing to do (Because dogs aren’t food, silly!).

But the chinese are not alone in this schizophrenia–we do it here in America, too. Think about pet parakeets or parrots. Would you ever eat a parakeet? No! Cause it’s a pet! But you would eat chicken, right? Of course! It’s *chicken*!

But they’re both birds!

We as Americans would eat cows but not dogs, even though they are both intelligent animals, capable of feeling a variety of emotions that every person on this planet can identify with.

What we need to do is to view animals as one category: animals. Humans are included in this. Maybe if people would realize that humans are animals, too, and that non-human animals aren’t inferior to us this moral schizophrenia would go away. But that’s wishful thinking. I can’t expect everyone to think the way that I think, I suppose. However, one of the reasons I am writing in this blog is to hopefully educate some people. Or at least get people to actually think about what they’re eating (consuming might be a better word, since we don’t just use animals for food).

So, yes. People! Start thinking! It won’t hurt you!

“We know accurately when we know little, with knowledge doubt increases.”
-Goethe

Start questioning all that stuff that has been indoctrinated into you all your lives. Start to be a little more skeptical. That’s what I do! My dad always hated how damn inquisitive I was (I apparently asked too many questions as a child)–but how else was I supposed to learn anything about the world around me unless I asked some questions? So start asking questions! Be informed!

Go go go!