I was 17 when I made my decision. At the time, influenced by my older sister, 7 years older than me, whom I admire greatly, I decided to stop eating meat.

Why did I do this?

At first, my reasons were a little vague, for ethical and environmental reasons, I said, but secretly, I had a complex about my physical appearance at this age and was consumed by the pressure to look good. The rumor that a vegetarian diet was healthier (and therefore would help you lose weight, such was my logic) was enough to convince me.

Today, aged 31, I’ve had many years to refine and clarify the reasons for my choice. Asking myself ‘What is life’, not in the spiritual sense (that was for another time), but rather in the biological and scientific sense, I came to the simple answer that life is the vital energy that animates a being so that we, humans, can call it alive. We are alive, and so are animals, plants, insects, fungi, and so on. A pro-meat person might say to me: “So your salad lives and suffers!” Animals suffer physically and even psychologically. This has been demonstrated mainly in the case of pets: cats and dogs. For the moment, this same evidence has not been demonstrated for plants.

Depression in animals

In an article published on Radio Canada’s website in January 2019 dealing with depression in animals, veterinarian Karine Eusanio of Dieppe’s Grey Cove Clinic mentions believing that people often underestimate the emotions our pets can feel. There’s enough evidence to show that some animals suffer from seasonal depression. Although there isn’t much research on the subject, the vet believes the symptoms are easily identifiable. Decreased energy levels, lack of motivation to get out of the house, and even disinterest in interacting with the humans around him can be signs of seasonal depression.

The right to non-suffering

Animals should have the ‘privilege’ of the right not to suffer. This is a right granted to humans, but not to animals. As humans, we consider ourselves superior by our intelligence, but does that mean we have all the rights over other forms of life deemed ‘inferior’ by that intelligence?

If I’m entitled to a chance at a life that gives me access to happiness, I believe that every living creature should also have this right. Having this right won’t necessarily lead to a good life, but we humans are at least in control and can act, are free, to do what we want with our lives. A calf born on a factory farm has no rights over its life. It has only one purpose for its existence: to be fattened, killed, and eaten. There is no other way out. It’s born and its destiny is already mapped out, just like a product made in a factory whose sequence of events is obvious: to be packaged, transported, sold, consumed, and then thrown away.

I’m not criticizing eating meat as such, but it’s the way of doing it that I’m contesting. If a deer lives a quiet life grazing in the forest, has had time to produce offspring with 4–5 females in its lifetime, and is hunted by a seasoned hunter, that’s fine.

Some cultures, past and present, even honor the hunted animal after taking its life. Hunting, in moderation and with the aim of consuming the animal, could be perceived as ‘natural’. Just as a prey animal in the wild can suddenly have its life shortened by a hunting predator. In the case of the deer, it’s only that the predator is a man rather than a pack of wolves, and well, he’s armed with a gun too.

But our current production methods make us forget that there is a life behind that steak or pork cutlet. A loaf of sliced bread made in a factory by big machines, or chicken croquettes that have been made after a stream of small chickens have been ground up… same thing, a product.

Life is monetized.

But there is hope

My journey to vegetarianism stems from a profound belief in the right of all living beings to live without suffering. It’s not just a personal choice; it’s about recognizing the inherent value of every life. While my reasons have evolved over time, the fundamental principle now remains: no creature should endure suffering for profit or convenience. By embracing compassion and mindfulness in our food choices, we can pave the way for a more ethical and harmonious relationship with the world around us. So let’s challenge the status quo, question our consumption habits, and aspire to a future where empathy triumphs over exploitation. Together, we can make a difference and build a more compassionate world for all beings.