After posting the blog “Wide Awake: Veganism Open Eyes,” I received backlash regarding it’s content. The negative reaction seemed to be based on a misunderstanding that I suggested or proclaimed plants feel pain. This is ridiculous. I did not that state plants feel pain, or have any nervous system capable of feeling emotions. I was not anthropomorphizing plants. Instead, I expressed two concepts on how to view plants. The first being plants have a will to live. Secondly, compassion toward all living creatures is a necessity and requirement for a humanistic state of being.
To pervert both of these two key concepts into a statement that plants scream in pain and horror when eaten us categorically untrue, misleading and absurd. when I say a plant has a will to live I am not saying it is conscious. When I say plants should be treated cruelty-free, I do not mean plants feel pain.
Plants have a will to live. By will I mean it in the most primordial sense. Plants are interactive with their environment. They evolve, change, attack and defend themselves for the preservation of their life. Will goes hand in hand with life. Life, in all it’s grand splendor and varying forms, wills to live. Basically, what I am saying is simply this: since a plant is alive it needs respect. That is all. Life deserves respect regardless of form.
The second topic I discussed - cruelty towards plants - suggests a way of life, attitude or perception towards plants and all living life forms. Because a plant lacks a brain or nervous system does not justify a disrespectful or violent actions towards plants. Likewise, because plants do not experience emotions does not justify violent actions toward plants.
I understand that this concept may seem very strange. Therefore, a better angle for me to take would be to focus and stress on living a life of nonviolence.
One should live a life of nonviolence with an acceptance and respect towards all things living. That is all. Simply saying “thank you” to a salad is all the respect needed and is the point I am making, although in a much expanded form. :)
Notes for future blogs:
There are other factors and issues I would love to address at some point in the future. How to identify and remove Speciesism from our thoughts and actions. Is Jainism a rational philosophy? Another, are defenseless plants (lettuce) inherently sacrificial? What is the nature and purpose of a fruit? Assuming we had a way of perceiving the intent, if an organism such as a beef cow intentionally sacrifices itself for us, would that action make it morally justifiable to then kill and eat the beef cow?
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