The Truth Makes Things Difficult, But Untruths Can Be Fatal

I had really wanted to write this as soon as that the ridiculous description of macaque behaviour appeared in the newspapers, but as I was busy and Dr. Michael Gummert had written a splendid response, I had an excuse to procrastinate longer on the issue. Anyhow, for some reason, I remembered something that was put up by some vegetarian society sometime back, and it finally gave me some impetus to write something about this - the truth.

Singaporeans are generally a cowardly bunch. We see wrong in the streets but we gawk and take videos and put it on STOMP instead of stopping whatever that is going on. We have grown adults fleeing at the sight of an Oriental Whip Snake. We build houses right in the middle of macaque land and run out bawling like spoilt babies when the original landlords decide to visit. I have often wondered, if this irrational fear of animals and wildlife is a result of years of conditioning by lies when we were all children. The macaque mis-reporting certainly has made me more sure of it. I shall not repeat what Michael said, he's said everything there is to say about the issue. However, the point to make is this: how many macaques (or other animals), have been trapped / killed by this lie-driven irrational fear?

The vegetarian movement suffers the same. A (probably) well-intentioned movement it may be, but perhaps the emotions, or the desperation for it to succeed have often driven such movements to base their arguments on half- or un-truths. The vegetarian movement in NUS had an argument identical to the one posted on this website. However, so much of their arguments are false. It had listed 7 points comparing humans to carnivores and herbivores and have portrayed humans seemingly to be identical to herbivores. However, there is a single point that they have neglected to consider (either out of ignorance or on purpose). Humans are primates. And they have all the characteristics that the seven points mentioned. However, great ape primates eat meat. Chimpanzees and Orang Utans hunt. Early man hunted. We possess an entire battery of enzymes capable of digesting animal matter, BUT we do not have a developed caecum of herbivores. Of course, I'm not saying that we AREN'T meant to eat plant matter, but that our physiology is meant for a omnivorous diet, tending probably to more plant than animal matter.

The vegetarian movement in all likelihood started from people who were affected by seeing animals in farms and slaughterhouses. But to argue for it from a flawed viewpoint and conveniently ignoring counter-points borders on dishonesty, and for those among us who know a bit of biology, the movement is a failure.

From the environmental point of view, I have mentioned in an earlier post, that agriculture is probably at least part of the reason that the planet is so screwed up now. To move from omnivorous to vegetarian diets will just mean that forests will be cleared for planting crops. The problem is that the planet is overpopulated with Homo sapiens living environmentally unsustainable lifestyles.