Recently I wrote about animals being sentient beings. In my experience they most certainly are, so I see nothing wrong with anthropomorphizing. However, I have never applied that principle to eating meat.
One day I was reading a post by a fellow communicator, Do Animal Communicators Eat Meat?, discussing this very topic. Her conclusions gave me pause.
Growing up on a farm it was accepted that certain animals would be eaten. It was simply the cycle of life, and their purpose for being. The animals had a good life and when it was their time, it ended. After reading the aforementioned post I started to think about anthropomorphizing in regards to livestock.
Do the animals know that we eat them? If they do, how do they feel about it? I already had some opinions on the subject but decided to take my questions to the animals. Here is what they had to say:
Of course we know that certain of our species are intended for human consumption. If we choose to incarnate as one of those species, we do it with the full knowledge that we are most likely going to have a brief life experience. Sometimes that is exactly what we are looking for. Do you not think it possible that being eaten by humans might be considered an honor among some animals? Each individual comes to the planet with a purpose. If that purpose is to be eaten, then we will live our life to its fullest and gladly be sacrificed when the times comes. Unlike humans, animals know that there will be countless opportunities for lives, so we do not become overly attached to any one life experience. Some we enjoy more than others, but they are all merely a part of the journey.
Just as some species are food for others in the animal kingdom, certain are intended for humans. It is all as it should be. You may choose not to eat of animal flesh but it doesn’t matter to our experience. If one human doesn’t choose to eat, another will, and so the cycle continues. Some animals consider it a privilege to be sustenance for humans. Would you deny us that joy and purpose?
With that question answered some others came up so the conversation continued.
Do egg layers mind that we take their eggs? What about milk producers?
Egg layers know that each egg is vulnerable to predators. We also know that odds are if we keep laying sooner or later some are bound to make it to a mature hatchling. Some of us use creative means to hide our eggs, others simply never give up, but we do not hold grudges against those who pilfer. We know this is the order of things and accept it as a fact of life. We egg layers are optimistic for we realize that our very existence means an egg was hatched, therefore others will as well. We are dedicated to the task and will continue as long as we are able. We do experience a feeling of release when our laying days are over. At that point we have fulfilled our obligation and can simply go about enjoying our remaining days.
Milk producers are aware that humans consume our milk. We are actually quite proud that we can share this resource with our human caretakers. We realize that our lives are easier than our counterparts in the wild who do not know where their next meal is coming from. There is sadness at having our young taken before they would naturally be weaned, but over the generations we have come to accept this as well. It is just the way of things for our kind. We know that our milk provides nourishment for the two-leggeds and we are proud of our contribution.
With my questions answered I was left to reflect upon other aspects of this topic:
If we did not consume animals many of them would not exist as they are bred specifically to feed us. In fact, some species might become extinct if they were not on our menu. What would be the purpose in keeping domesticated livestock around otherwise? Because the animals understand reincarnation, brief lives are perfectly acceptable to them.
Finally, I am quite sure that other carnivores do not concern themselves with such thoughts. After all as The Lion King teaches “It’s the circle of life.”
