One of the all time, most used arguments against Veganism is the unfounded, circulating trend declaring that plants feel pain too. This really needs to be clarified, pronto. Here is my response. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ It is amazing, yet unfortunate how many people suddenly become concerned for the wellbeing of plants in a defensive reaction to the very relevant discussion of animal abuse - in an attempt to scientifically and spiritually justify their commitment to unnecessary exploitation of animals. This needs to be clarified so that we understand what it really means to suffer. The International Association for the Study of Pain defines pain as: “an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage, or described in terms of such damage.” They also said that psychologists, physicians and neurobiologists alike have come to a consensus that suffering, which is subjective, is located in the prefrontal cortex, while pain centers are located deep within the brain that radiate out from the brainstem. So if suffering from pain necessitates highly complex neural structures and connections to the frontal cortex, then based on this, it can be reasoned that plants do not suffer or feel pain as they have no brain or central nervous system. What they can do, which is not defined as sentient is to unconsciously react biochemically in complex and fascinating ways to stimuli. There is a crucial difference here. We see this all the time. There is a vine at my house which climbs up the rope, its reaches for the light, grabs onto things to make its way up, to survive. If I was to trim it back, soon after and with complete ease it would start to grow new buds continue to climb - psychologically indifferent and showing no signs of distress (blooming flowers?) to the fact that I just chopped it in half. In contrast, if you were to chop off a Chickens beak, (so that they do not peck each other in their confined insanity) that pain stays with them their entire life. The reason being is that their senses are far more sensitive and complex than that of the vine. Another example is an apple or any fruit or veggie. Apples trees evolved to produce sweet goods in order to attract other mammals and insects to them - they literally offer themselves to us and drop from the trees to spread their seed. Flowers evolved scents and colours so as to attract bees to pollinate them. They depend on the release of their goods to reproduce. This intrinsic dependancy we have with one another is beautiful and fascinating and is why we should never EVER feel concerned about eating them. We can still take care of them, make sure they have enough sunlight, water and nutritious soil. It just means we can allow ourselves, to experience the pleasure and nourishment that is derived from eating what we, as natural plant eaters are designed to eat. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Another astonishing and overlooked fact I often see is the disregard or wilful ignorance towards how many plants it takes to feed the animals we eat. Billions of tonnes of grain, GM soy and corn mostly, which has been riddled with pesticides and bioaccumulated into the animals. So really, even if I am completely wrong and misguided (which Im happy to be if someone can substantively explain why I am) after all this, whos eating all the plants anyway? If at this point you still want to argue against Veganism because plants tho, Research factory farming, witness the sheer horror and agony of what I am talking and you will understand the seriousness of this. Lets see if after watching factory farm or slaughterhouse footage you would still tell me there is no difference between factory farmed cucumbers and factory farmed animals - caged, mutilated and driven to insanity. Tell me then that there is no comparison between slicing into a tomato and slicing into a live chickens neck. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ These are my humble views, though I base them upon evidence and values which promote holistic peace for all beings above all else. If you want to debate me, thats fine, I just ask that we focus upon finding solutions that are beneficial to the greater good rather than what suits our own bias, personal desires.
Posted on: Mon, 15 Sep 2014 00:01:35 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015