Speciesism: The Ethical Dilemma on Our Plates

Imagine waking up and being served cats and dogs for breakfast. For many of us, that thought is beyond disturbing. But in some parts of Asia, it’s a reality. These magnificent beings face so much suffering only to end up on dinner plates. For many people outside of this culture, this reality is horrifying. Yet, these same individuals might have bacon and eggs for breakfast, chicken for lunch, and steak for dinner. The cows, pigs, and chickens behind these meals suffer in a similarly violent and cruel manner. This is something I can no longer accept or look away from.

This disparity is rooted in something called speciesism. According to philosopher Peter Singer, speciesism is “a prejudice or attitude of bias in favor of the interests of members of one’s own species and against those of members of other species” (Singer, Animal Liberation, 1975). This concept reveals a deep moral contradiction in how we treat animals. As animal rights advocate Tom Regan puts it, “The practice of treating members of other species as if their interests are less important simply because they are not human is as indefensible as racism or sexism” (Regan, The Case for Animal Rights, 1983).

In the Western world, we’ve created a strange normalcy for ourselves where if an animal isn’t a pet, it’s deemed to have less value. This convenient but quite twisted way of thinking becomes even more pronounced as pigs and goats become popular pets. It gets a lot more real and perhaps provides a stark illustration of what many need to truly understand the reality of the situation. The brainwashing starts early, and for children of farmers, it begins even younger. This warped perspective makes it harder for people to see the animals they eat as the sentient beings they truly are.

Factory farms are where this hidden horror unfolds. In these places, animals are crammed into tiny, overcrowded spaces, living lives of constant misery. Pigs are packed so tightly they can barely move, chickens are confined to dark, cramped sheds, and cows are forced into endless cycles of breeding and milking, with their calves taken away almost immediately. It’s all driven by profit and efficiency, with little regard for their suffering. To me, it’s impossible to ignore how inhumane this treatment is.

So, what can you and I do about it? Start by thinking about what feels right. Could you personally hurt an animal? If not, why are you paying someone else to do it? It’s important to know that in some places, prisoners on parole are used to kill these defenseless beings, under the threat of being sent back to prison if they refuse (Beard, Prison Labor in the Meat Industry, 2021). This disturbing practice reveals the extreme lengths to which the system will go to exploit animals and human labor alike.

Next, consider a change—it can happen right now. As someone who was raised eating meat for most of my life, I can tell you it’s easier than you might think. Start with small changes like switching to oat milk and reducing your meat consumption gradually. Try being pescatarian or exploring meat alternatives. I went vegan and found that plant-based meats, which taste just like the real thing, made the transition easier. Though I don’t eat them much anymore, these alternatives helped me adjust when I was still used to eating meat. Now, I don’t crave it; in fact, meat and dairy make me nauseous because I associate them with the pain and suffering they represent.

Rejecting speciesism means rejecting practices that cause unnecessary suffering. This doesn’t mean you have to go vegan overnight, but you can start by reducing the harm you cause. Consider that pigs are known to be as intelligent as dogs (Mason & Mendl, Animal Welfare, 2019), cows have complex social lives (Halpin, The Social Lives of Cows, 2020), and chickens can recognize up to 100 faces (Dunlap, Chicken Intelligence, 2021). These are not mindless creatures—they have lives worth valuing.

As we now have access to the truth about our food system through online resources, activisism and animal sanctuaries, we can strive to be leaders who think critically about our choices rather than simply following what commercials tell us to eat and do. We have the power to choose compassion over convenience. Think about where your food truly comes from and fight for a world where greed doesn’t overshadow love and compassion for all beings. It may not seem easy at first, but this shift is incredibly meaningful—for the animals, for the planet, and for our integrity as human beings.

References:

Beard, L. (2021). Prison Labor in the Meat Industry. Prison Labor Journal.

Dunlap, K. (2021). Chicken Intelligence. Poultry Science Review.

Halpin, J. (2020). The Social Lives of Cows. Animal Behavior Research.

Mason, G., & Mendl, M. (2019). Animal Welfare. Cambridge University Press.

Regan, Tom. The Case for Animal Rights. University of California Press, 1983.

Singer, Peter. Animal Liberation. HarperCollins, 1975.