“But you’re vegan!”
Ok, yes, I am a vegan. I don’t love animals. I find the whole sentimentality around the category of “animals” somewhat vacuous, perhaps insulting. Unless you are a biologist who loves your work, a Nirvana-ed being, or prone to bestiality, the statement “I love animals” has little meaning, and is at least somewhat false.
(I am going to use the term “human” to refer to human animals and “animal” to refer to non-human animals.)
Let use examine what the average individual who makes this claim hopes to convey. Let us even assume that this individual is veg*n and not speaking exclusively of non-farm animals. What ey generally means is a) that animals are beautiful, b) that animals are fun to observe and care for, and/or c) that ey would never have any desire to hurt an animal. I don’t have to look far for counterexamples to any of these claims.
A friend of mine says veganism is a neutral position with regards to animals. I agree. In our politically charged climate of farm subsidies and billion dollar food lobbies, and in our socially charged climate of patriotism and masculinity built around animal consumption, veganism is a political statement. But with regards to how we actually treat animals, it is simple. In an interview on her own veganism, Ellen Degeneres makes the point that “animal rights” is a misnomer because “rights” implies that we’re granting all beings suffrage. The more accurate phrase is “animal welfare,” giving animals the “right” to be left alone.
I have never had the desire to have a pet, or other companion animal. I find raccoons and bugs annoying. I think many animals smell bad and misbehave. But there are obviously humans who share these faults. I don’t “love” or even “like” those humans either.
I don’t love all queer people, people of color, or women. I don’t love all animals. I just give them each my respect where it is due. I oppose brutality and suffering in the name of civilization. This position doesn’t necessitate a great deal of compassion. Moving beyond a vegan lifestyle, into activism, requires some passion (maybe compassion as well), but leaving animals be? That is simpler. I don’t need to think of all those farmed and caged creatures as cute, or intelligent. I don’t need to hear about chimpanzees who can speak sign language. I don’t need sentimentality or love. I only need clarity. Does this make me cold-blooded?
stevepan
September 13, 2010
I concur w/ this to some degree. A lot of people assume that because you’re a LGBT ally you must have a lot of gay friends or only make gay friends, when really all that ally should confer is some modicum of intellectual consistency and commitment to equal rights wrt sexual orientation and gender identification.
kipwinger
September 16, 2010
It doesn’t make you cold hearted. It makes you grounded and rational and I completely agree with your stance on this. I really enjoy some animals and others I couldn’t care less for, but the same goes with humans. The bottom line is that my associations, positive or negative, with said animals is no absolutist grounding for how I treat them. My reasons for treating animals is based on an extension of how I, as a sentient being, want to be treated and I have to extend that to others….no matter if I care for them or not. It’s very simple.
Also, I’m glad you brought up the “animal rights” vs. “animal welfare” point. Honestly, both terms really get to me as welfarists also tend to call for “bigger cages! longer chains!” instead of total freedom, but I HATE using the term animal rights, for many MANY reasons, of which I won’t go into here unless you are really that interested. To be succinct, I prefer “animal liberation”.