Tragic whaling, hypocritical outrage
Issue date: 11/1/06 Section: Opinions
Controversy has recently been sparked over the return of commercial whale hunting in Iceland for the first time in 20 years, thus breaking a ban imposed in 1985. The media attention and resulting outrage given this situation have both been extraordinary. Such an intense reaction is extremely hypocritical given our apathy, ignorance and facilitation of the millions of animals who suffer not only a far worse death but also a far worse life than this whale on a daily basis for our benefit.
Perhaps it is the extreme visibility of a whale hunt that makes it so easy to protest. Seeing a gentle giant slowly harpooned to death gives us all an opportunity to express our disgust and display our own compassion as concerned human beings for the welfare of animals. However, what we choose to ignore is a far greater crime: the millions of animals suffering behind closed doors without the media spotlight exposing their misery. It is ironic that so many of us claim to be against animal cruelty, since it is our own actions which facilitate the hellish life and death of an animal raised in a factory farm. For most people there is a detachment between the food they see in the grocery store and the animals from which it came. Meat in particular is carefully marketed and packaged so as to ensure this disconnection persists. However, there are also people who recognize precisely what they are eating yet have a misconception of where it came from. Many people think animals are raised on traditional farms and are allowed to live out the same natural existence that a wild whale would enjoy in the ocean. Sadly, these farms are now the minority and corporate factory farms have become the norm.
I am sure most people have heard of factory farming by now. It is the method of using economies of scale to produce the highest output at the lowest cost in agricultural production. From a business standpoint this makes perfect sense, however the key element left out of this equation is that animals cannot be treated the same as a product on an assembly line. And while companies may have lowered their monetary costs , the negative repercussions on the animals, humans and the environment have far exceeded any of the perceived benefits.
Perhaps it is the extreme visibility of a whale hunt that makes it so easy to protest. Seeing a gentle giant slowly harpooned to death gives us all an opportunity to express our disgust and display our own compassion as concerned human beings for the welfare of animals. However, what we choose to ignore is a far greater crime: the millions of animals suffering behind closed doors without the media spotlight exposing their misery. It is ironic that so many of us claim to be against animal cruelty, since it is our own actions which facilitate the hellish life and death of an animal raised in a factory farm. For most people there is a detachment between the food they see in the grocery store and the animals from which it came. Meat in particular is carefully marketed and packaged so as to ensure this disconnection persists. However, there are also people who recognize precisely what they are eating yet have a misconception of where it came from. Many people think animals are raised on traditional farms and are allowed to live out the same natural existence that a wild whale would enjoy in the ocean. Sadly, these farms are now the minority and corporate factory farms have become the norm.
I am sure most people have heard of factory farming by now. It is the method of using economies of scale to produce the highest output at the lowest cost in agricultural production. From a business standpoint this makes perfect sense, however the key element left out of this equation is that animals cannot be treated the same as a product on an assembly line. And while companies may have lowered their monetary costs , the negative repercussions on the animals, humans and the environment have far exceeded any of the perceived benefits.
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