Why are animals exploited?
Animals are exploited because there's demand for products and services made from them: meat, milk, eggs, leather, testing, entertainment. One way to fight this is to stop buying and using these products.
What veganism is
Veganism was born out of respect for animals. It's not just a diet: it includes clothing, cosmetics tested on animals, entertainment using animals, and other forms of exploitation.
"Is veganism for humans too?"
Sometimes people say: "If veganism respects all beings who feel, then it's for humans too." The author agrees that respecting all sentient beings includes humans.
But he warns about something else: today many people use the word "vegan" just to mean "no animal ingredients," for health or environmental reasons.
The problem with this shift is that it hides the main reason. If veganism were only about health or the planet, it would seem that exploiting animals is fine whenever it doesn't harm humans or nature. And the central point is exactly the opposite: exploitation is unfair to the animals themselves.
A way to point out an injustice
Besides avoiding harm, veganism also helps draw attention to an injustice that most people don't see.
In short
- Animals are exploited because there's demand for the products.
- Veganism means avoiding harm to animals as much as possible.
- The central reason is respect for animals, not just health or the environment.