Thinking about leftists who will advocate against brutality and read 500 page books about abuses of power but then laugh at the thought of taking animal rights seriously because they seemingly believe that might actually does equal right and that it’s okay to cause others to suffer as long as they’re perceived to be different enough from them
A lot of people say they’re fully against brutality, torture and exploitation *until* they have to actually analyse their own day-to-day habits, change their mindset and maybe adapt their behaviours in order to live by their own values (of not harming others for no good reason)
Until they do so, the mere mention of animal rights can provoke the kneejerk reaction of laughter and scorn, and violence remains okay to them because it’s what they want to do and it’s what everyone else is doing
Or people hide behind ‘no ethical consumption under capitalism’ when needless animal exploitation would still be unethical under socialism or another hypothetical future. ‘No ethical consumption…’ doesn’t mean ‘Let’s make the worst and most destructive choices possible, when we don’t need to, just because we can’
People will bring up the issue of subsidies/the way supply and demand doesn’t perfectly correlate as a reason for abandoning individual action, as though animal rights was solely about food choices and not dismantling the massive complex web of how we objectify and view other species as lesser and disposable (as tools/entertainment/fashion/sport)
People will advocate for things like the BDS movement and generally promote the idea of individuals joining up to build collective power to enact change until they’re faced with boycotting animal subjugation and suddenly it’s uhh everything is fucked we have no control no ethical consumption under capitalism sorrrry
People will talk all day long about fighting injustice in the abstract but scoff when confronted with the fact that the behaviours they enjoy partaking in cause harm and uphold a belief system that says that others should be harmed for the sake of the pleasure of those who hold power
So… unnecessarily inflicting unwanted pain on others is unjust except when it inconveniences you and interrupts your daily pleasure-seeking? You believe in justice and advocating for vulnerable groups unless their suffering benefits you? What kind of political stance is that
Calling yourself a leftist whilst supporting egregious, systemic violence inflicted on those with extremely limited power, committed on a scale our brains can barely comprehend, because… it feels good? because you’re in a position of dominance over those you pay to harm and you don’t want to stop? ok
(as always I’m talking about people who actively support the harm/exploitation of non-human animals for the sake of personal pleasure and convenience rather than those who are limited by their individual circumstances/surroundings. none of this is pointed at those who don’t have a choice)
