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Moral compass for eating or not eating meat

Animal meat and products are a good source of nourishment. These products are sources

of essential nutrients and minerals. Nevertheless, the eating or consumption of animal products

raises an ethical dilemma. Some see it as a cruelty act while others view it as a way of enhancing

balance in the food chain. Despite the arguments surrounding the issue, eating animal products

and meat is a good practice. However, the process of getting the products should be ethical in a

way it respects the right of the animals without causing pain on them.

Onset, one has to recognize that animals are living things and have feelings. Just like

human beings, animals feel pain. According to Dalai Lama, the beginning of a moral compass

starts with the acknowledgement and recognition of life as precious gift (Lama 198). In this

essence, every human being has an obligation of respecting all living things. Animals are part of

these living organisms and thus humans have an obligation of treating them in a way that does

not cause pain or hurt their feeling. In this regard, when killing an animal for meat or another

product, one should ensure that the process lead to more suffering or enduring it to excess pain.
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Accordingly, human need to realize that animals are part of their families. As per

scientific findings, all living things are interconnected and evolution is what led to development

of the human creature above other animals. Through recognizing this, it will help them refrain

from unethical practices of mistreating animals while obtaining their products. The

understanding of animals as part of their families will make human to develop a sense of

sympathy.

Also, this realization will avoid the continuity of acts like the boiling Lobsters alive

without carrying how whether they feel pain or not. As Wallace notes even though most animals

do not have a human-like nervous system, it is does not mean they do not feel pain. Each animal

has a way of sensing a change in its environment (Wallace 469). For instance, when the water

temperature in the ocean changes, fish and other sea organisms move to where they are

comfortable. Similarly, the animals try to fight back when there is a threat to their lives. This is

evidence that they have a sense of pain. Hence, while eating animal meat is an ethical practice,

causing unnecessary suffering of the animal in the process of transforming it into a meal is

immoral.

Furthermore, before killing an animal for meat, it is essential to have a sense of empathy.

According to Dalai Lama any ethical practice need to be founded on compassion. Consumption

of the animal products and meat should involve a sense of the effect it will have on the nature

(Lama 199). For instance, deciding to kill an animal mothering young ones is unethical. The act

puts the life of that animal species in danger. While as the animal will be a source of

nourishment and proteins that are important in the human body, killing an animal nurturing

young ones mark the first step to extinction of that species. As such, if one must eat an animal
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product or meat, they must ensure it does not put the life of that species at risk or lead to the

vulnerability of its family.

In addition, animals have emotions. So, when obtaining product from them, one need to

ensure that they protect the animals from any instance of stress. As Wallace quotes on his essay,

the Lobster undergoes harsh treatments before becoming a ready meal. First, they are kept under

a container with sea water and pegged to ensure they do not harm each other. After this, they

cook put them on boiling water alive claiming that it is the best way to make them fresh and

delicious meal (Wallace 56). Such treatments are unethical as they affect the animals’ emotions.

In this regard, ethical practices would call for respectable killing of the animals without harming

their emotions. For instance, the use of some medicine that makes organisms unconscious would

be a good practice of eliminating stress and pain to the animals during the slaughter process.

Moreover, everyone has a conscious conscience. For this reason, one is aware of their

actions whether they are good or evil. When mistreating a living creature, no one needs to be

informed that what they are doing is wrong. Similarly, when torturing an animal as a way of

obtaining meat and other products, people are aware that they are trespassing against the

animals’ right. You are aware that an animal is feeling pain when using ineffective means of

killing it.

In fact, everyone is aware that boiling an animal alive is unethical. They understand the

pain that the animal is enduring. For this reason, even though eating meat is ethical. One should

be empathetic. The animal should be killed in a way that does not cause unnecessary pain.

Wallace gives suggestions on some of the ethical ways that lobster cooks should apply other than
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in place of boiling the animal alive (Wallace 63). Other people should follow the same approach

in obtaining animal products and meat.

Also, it is clear in every person’s mind that making an animal to undergo through a

painful slaughtering process is immoral. As Dalai Lama argues ethical values are vital for all

humankind regardless of their religion, race, ethnicity, nationality or creed (199). The definition

of morality is does not change with one’s demography. Everyone is aware that causing

unnecessary pain to organisms or fellow humans is evil. Hence, one has to apply ethical

principles and values in eating or consuming animal product.

Again, an ethical consumption of animal products means a mutual respect for their

dignity. One must realize that animals have a right to be alive. And if it must be killed, it process

of doing so should be respectable. Here, it means using a way that will cause the slightest

moment of pain on the animal. Also, everyone needs to understand that animals are essential part

of the environment that brings about joy to the human race. The act of turning an animal into a

meal should weigh the balance between the short-term and long-term consequences of the action.

If the act will lead to a negative impact such as leading to extinction of a given species, then one

should shelf their interest in favor of its continuity. Such an act would indicate a respect for

animals and high level of morality.

Also, your action should be based on a clear awareness the future effects of your action.

Before deciding to kill an animal for meat and other products, there should be an agreement

between personal values and your action. Importantly, ethical transformation of an animal in to a
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meal requires respect for its dignity. Thus, you action should not leave you feeling guilty nor

should it cause a painful death to the animal.

Accordingly, animals are a source of essential proteins that cannot be found on other

living organisms. For instance, animal fats and meat are critical for women at their fertile age. A

pregnant woman requires animal products to help them sustain their pregnancy and give birth to

a healthy baby. In this essence, animal products are part of human diet. People need it to have a

health life. However, this aspect does not offer a room for immorality in eating meat. Causing

unnecessary suffering and pain should be avoided at all cost in the process of turning an animal

into a delicious meal. As Wallace notices, people should avoid passing animals and other

organisms through the process like one Lobster cooks followed in preparation of a lobster meal.

Such treatments are unethical.

In summing up, eating of animal product and meat is an ethical practice. However, the

process of transforming these living creatures into consumable product should also follow ethical

standards. This means recognizing the emotional aspect of the animals as well as respecting their

dignity. In this essence, animal slaughtering should be empathetic. One should put themselves in

the feet of the animal and give it the treatment they deserve. As such, the process should ensure

that the animal does not suffer from pain and other emotional hurts. Again, it is essential to

understand the preciousness of life before embarking on turning a creature into meat. Hence,

eating of meat should observe all ethical values that ensure respect for the animal and other

living organism. As such, the practice should be a joy without hurting other members of the

environment.
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Works Cited:

Lama, Dalai. “Universe in a Single Atom: The Convergence of Science and Spirituality.

Broadway Books. Pp194-200

Wallace, David Foster. “Consider the lobster.” Emerging Contemporary Readings for Writers,

3rd ed., Barclay Barrios, 2016, pp. 458–471.