Thursday, September 3, 2015

What IS the Health Argument?

OK, I'll put aside the fact that the push to "eat healthy" has led to people replacing red meat with many many more chickens (and sometimes fish).

And I'll put aside that the people who go veg for health are the ones who revert back to eating meat.

With that said, just look at the world. For all intents and purposes, every doctor, nutritionist, and public health official says eating chicken is healthy. Every media outlet, every men's and women's magazine, and every friend and family member says eating chicken is healthy (and are consuming chicken without any negative consequence). Every leading athlete, whose career depends on optimal health, eats chicken*. Etc.

So in the real world, what is the health argument that will overpower all of that and convince a significant percentage of people that they absolutely cannot consume any chicken whatsoever?

Let me put it another way: During the last 28 years, I have heard every pro-veg health argument anyone has ever imagined. I am well educated, and I definitely want to live a healthy, happy life for as long as possible.

But if you could somehow prove to me that chickens have no consciousness, no subjective experience, or if someone developed in vitro chicken exactly the same, I would have absolutely no qualms about eating chicken.

So what is the magical health argument that is completely unpersuasive to me (and my PhD wife, my National Merit Scholar daughter, and nearly every doctor, nutritionist, and athlete) and yet can actually help chickens in the real world?



*Yes, I know there are exceptions. But for every current vegan athlete you can point to, there are several former vegan athletes, and thousands of chicken-eating athletes.

If you like this article, please check out OneStepForAnimals.org 

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