An animal's place - why or why not?

I have decided to agree with Pollan. I think his rationalization for believing in eating animals is alright, but the way they are being kept in cages and are killed for meat is inhumane. Pollan shows us that there is a difference in the treatment of animals, most household pets are loved and are taken care of extremely well while, pigs and other farm animals are left to be treated almost as if they don’t matter for anything but food.

“…yet few of us pause to consider the miserable life of the pig--an animal easily as intelligent as a dog--that becomes the Christmas ham.”(Pollan)

For many animals it doesn’t matter what their purpose is, if no one notices them especially to find out what the care should be for them, then it is almost as if they do not matter. We all think hey go to the grocery store and get what you need, but we do not know what it takes to get them to that point of us having a dinner.

He also goes on to point out that humans and animals are two very different species of life. Animals have the killing instinct in the fact that they seem to have to kill in order to survive. We as humans do not, although some seem to possibly find pleassure in it. Althought animals do not have the same brain compassity as us they still do not deserve to be treated as if they do not exsist.

“…there remains the question of whether we owe animals that can feel pain any moral consideration…”(Pollan)

Many animals used in scientific studying has helped us to achieve more by using them and out weighing the fact that they may have had to lose their life in order to make it possible. As much as it may seem cruel but the fact of the matter is, is that if the person who is against it became sick they would definitely turn around and say it doesn’t matter as long as they are going to be bettered by it.

I do not object to the fact of eating meat just like Pollan does, although he has made great points of how cruelity and neglect come into play when it comes down to the taking care of these animals but I feel as thought if they were not put here we would have nothing of substance to eat. I want animals to have the fulliest life they can up until the time that they have to be eaten. If we can do all of this quickly and humanely I think it is the way to go. I also feel that Pollan is showing that he feels this way too. Not everyone will have to agree but the fact is this is a way of life, take it or leave it.