Having spent 1/2 my life in the US an 1/2 in Europe with numerous trips back to the new country since I moved, I agree somewhat with the difference in attitude between Americans and Europeans about intrinsic worth. I disagree that there is much difference in opinion (if any) between the continents regarding animal welfare.

200 million land animals are slaughtered each day for food. That is one “Australian wildfire disaster” every five days. Sentient beings with near human intelligence who feel pain and fear exactly as we humans do. Raised in 95+% of the cases (US or EU) in horrible conditions. Short lives of constant suffering that end in brutal slaughter.

Do you grieve for those lives, Umair? Do you take part in their exploitation?

For those of us living in the first world, there is no need for an animal based diet. No need to sustain ourselves through the barbarism of animal-agriculure. Of course this doesn’t apply to Yak herders in Mongolia or fishermen Yemen. 99.9% of Medium readers are not part of those (or similar) groups.

99.9% of us (and I was one until a few years ago) choose to eat meat because of culture, tradition and habit. The lives of animals as social as our dogs and as smart as our cats are less important than grabbing a snack on the way to meet friends.

So before you get too high up on your European horse, Umair, tell me how you grieve for the 250,000 animals that were slaughtered for food while you read my comment?