Its the law of the universe and the basis on which species thrive and survive ... one set of species eats another .. and the cascading effects set the ball rolling . The way I see it , no one species can be held guilty - plants absorb nutrients from soil , water and sunlight ; some animals absorb nutrients from plants ; some animals get their nutrition from other animals - that's how nature intended it to be . A tiger wouldn't kill if it was not given claws and a bird would not be able to peck without a beak . What sets animals apart is the levels of consciousness - plants have lower senses and lower levels of consciousness while more developed species have higher senses . A human being is considered precious since it has the highest levels of consciousness known and an ability to pursue higher .
One thing I can very well notice is that we have lost respect for food . Be it plants or animals , they are living beings that have lost their lives to provide us with a healthy meal and we seem to take the sacrifice way too lightly . A trip to the nearest supermarket will provide enough proof - vegetables decay and are discarded since they are overstocked , produce is at times spoilt in the process of transporting and stocking . But the worst scene is the way other life forms are treated - I have seen crabs and fishes cramped up in live tanks , heard of inhuman ways in which the animals are slaughtered - all making me wonder if we truly deserve to be the most developed species ruling the earth .
Some people seem to be so indifferent - taste of foie gras is non-resistant to the brutal way in which it is made ( the liver of the goose/duck is fattened by force feeding it through a tube ), shark fin soup might be delicious but most of the sharks cannot survive once their fins are cut off . Happy family occasions and celebrations are considered pale if you don't serve slaughtered animals or you don't feel satisfied if you have not eaten meat x times in a day/week .
I wish we could all be a little more respectful towards food - be it meat or vegetables : eat in moderation , reduce wastage of food , treat food gently and be thankful for meals .
