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Quote by: Captain Chaos  We are talking about eating meat here. If you do not feel that eating meat is immoral, then that bit of reasoning would not apply.
Can you think of a situation where it would apply? |
I don't think it applies at all; I was under the impression that you did.
If you think the practices of the company that provides your meat are immoral, does that mean you bear responsibility for that immorality because you buy their product? I would say no, because your influence was not the impetus that led to their practices, and the elimination of your influence would not change their practices. You could argue that one person could become part of a movement, and make a difference that way, but then you run into the issue I was speaking to before, about each of us having to choose our own battles; the fact that I could help to eliminate factory farming does not mean that I am morally obligated to do so. My eating meat does not make me responsible for the inception and spread of factory farming.
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Quote by: Captain Chaos I am not sure it goes any further at all. Can you think of a concrete example we could mull over? Eating meat is clearly not such an example, because you and I are both meat eaters. We bear some responsibility for the raising and slaughter of animals - but we accept that responsibility. |
I disagree that we bear responsibility for the raising and slaughter of animals, simply because we give money to the companies that do it. My business was not the motivation for their implementation of factory farming; the loss of my business would not change their practices. If I didn't cause it, and I can't change it by changing my relevant behavior, how am I responsible for it?
How about this: I'm a high school teacher. Let's imagine that one of my students develops a crush on me, because she likes older men with green eyes. Am I the cause of that crush? Do I bear responsibility for it? I could, theoretically, prevent this from happening by quitting my job -- but is that my responsibility? If I didn't cause the crush, and I can't take it away (because I can't change my age or my eye color) wihtout taking extraordinary steps like quitting my job -- analogous to joining PETA and becoming an activist against factory farming -- do I need to do something about it, simply because it is linked to me?