I finally finished the first edition of my booklet, “Why I Don’t Eat Animals”. I started it in 2011, and due to new research, changes in my own thinking, and work demands, it has taken me four years to complete.
I wrote it because I noted that many people either did not know about or did not understand all of the facets of the animal consumption issue, and whenever I came across literature on the subject, it invariably focused on one aspect and not the others. So there were essays and books dealing with the ethical argument that did not engage with the environmental issue or the question of socio-economics.
This is my attempt at presenting a comprehensive explanation for why I believe there is a rational case for reducing or ceasing the consumption of animals. I also wanted to keep it concise because I recognised that many people have an aversion to reading lengthy tomes. At 24 pages, it is an hour’s investment and hopefully it will keep you engaged. One can always follow the many links, should there be a need to read more detail.
This is not a book for academics, who may find the philosophical presence incomplete. It’s a book for laymen and pragmatists, written in language that everyone can understand. It’s a book that can be read by those wishing to understand more about the place of non-human animals in our world, those who have some sense of environmental responsibility or conservation, or even by those who are opposed to consideration for animals.
Download it here: Why_I_Dont_Eat_Animals
My sincere hope is that those who read it will apply their minds to the arguments contained, consider the ramifications of their thinking and action, and, should they see the need, make the necessary changes.
Derek du Toit
Derek I have just scanned your book to see the main heads of argument you are making and I look forward to reading it in greater detail when I have the time. As an initial reaction I would like to say that I am extremely excited by what you have done here.
From a personal perspective this combines my 2 greatest passions in life – animal welfare and issues around diet, health and food security. I am a lifelong vegetarian which I say without any moral superiority whatsoever. My mother raised me that way so I am as much a vegetarian as I am female and have blue eyes and blond hair. It is neither to my credit nor discredit it is a simple fact of my being. It has, however, afforded me with a unique perspective. Since I have never eaten meat I am incapable of regarding it as food, and by extension I am incapable of looking at animals as a potential food source. The value of animals in my world is therefore what they contribute to bio-diversity, beauty, companionship etc. They are not, nor will they ever be commodities. I regard any other way of looking at animals very odd and deeply disturbing because it is extremely alien to who I am to the core of my being, not because I ever sat down and made a choice in the matter, but because my mother made me this way.
However, in terms of diet I have nothing to commend – I have been a junk food vegetarian most of my life and wrecked my health in the process. This health crisis then lead me to the work of authors such as Michael Pollan (“An Omnivores Dilemma”, “Cooked” etc) and Mark Bittman (“Vegan before 6pm”). They have so much else good to say about diet than what and how we eat, but on the subject of meat eating they really show us what is wrong with factory farming. Whether or not you agree with vegetarianism from a health perspective, whether or not you care about animal cruelty. what you can’t avoid accepting is that if we have to have a planet left and feed the people on it we have to drastically have to 1) reduce our dependency on meat and animal products 2) change the way we farm for food – both in terms of factory farming and monocultures for our crops.
The most exciting thing to me is that what turns out to be best for our health as humans is also best for the animals. So whether you care about animals or not – do it for your own survival, for future generations and for the planet!
Whatever your position on diet, I would like to challenge everyone to at least do the following:
1) Eat less meat and pay more for it. Eat only meat pasture reared, free range, anti-biotic and steroid free animals.
2) Eat only truly free range eggs and source your milk and dairy product from grass fed cows reared by a true biodymanic farmer
Google is your friend in finding the above right where you live.
Just doing these two things will make big changes for the animals, your health and the planet!