Creativity, Compassion, Capability: The Three C’s of Ethical Living Without Animal Products

I implore you to consider this with an open mind:

I am against the needless slaughter of all beings.

Humans are unique and special in many ways, particularly in our creativity, compassion, and capability to prevent suffering in ways that other species cannot. This highlights not only our unique responsibilities but also the profound potential we hold as a species.

To reiterate, my stance against the slaughter includes all animals, humans very much included. My approach is deeply pro-human, emphasizing our special role and the ethical implications of our actions.

For over six years, I have lived a healthy and fulfilling life completely free of animal products. We do not need to consume animals to survive or thrive. I, along with hundreds of millions of others, am living proof of this.

However, I understand this: those who do not adopt an animal product-free lifestyle and therefore see no issue with killing non-human animals — not in self-defence, but merely for the sake of convenience or taste — are at risk of adopting ideologies, religions, or political persuasions that can dehumanize a subsection of people as “mere animals,” ultimately leading to calls for the slaughter of humans.

This logic stems from the dangerous assumption that once you’ve dehumanized a population, they are fit for slaughter, a view that only follows if you believe that animals are fit for slaughter in the first place.

However, let me be clear: I believe that killing — whether it be a human or a non-human — in self-defence is an entirely different matter. While it is always preferable to reason with someone, that is not always possible.