Myth # 30 : " But eating meat allowed our brains to evolve ."
Myth # 30 : " But eating meat allowed our brains to evolve ."
While neither sociologists nor anthropologists consistently agree on this theory
( with many social scientists from both disciplines believing that it was actually the complex multi-tasking and high-level community interaction mandated by plant-based food gathering that led to the evolutionary development of our neocortex *), it is important to remember that we are talking about the concept of evolution here . Namely , that if our primitive meat-eating ways did indeed allow our brains to evolve to their current state – and if meat-eating did indeed allow us to become not only no longer dependent on meat for our survival , but also to feel compassion for our animal cousins , then why would we abandon that hard-won advancement by continuing to harm ourselves & others – and thereby stunt our further evolution – by continuing to eat meat ?
In other words , if evolution is a good thing , then why on Earth would we choose to stop evolving by continuing to eat animals ? … If evolution is a good thing , allowing us to " evolve " into hunters during times of starvation & ignorance , then why would we deny that same engine of development that is now clearly calling for us to abandon hunting ( and all other forms of animal exploitation ) and become gentle stewards of our planet ' s citizens instead ? … If evolution is a good thing , then why do non-vegans ignore it by perpetuating a diet that makes them far more sickly and noticeably less intelligent ? … If evolution is a good thing , then why do nonvegans discard the most advanced & potent benefits thereof – namely , a life grounded in justice & morality & compassion ?
Essentially , evolution only becomes a positive when it is applied positively – so if meat-eating did indeed cause the evolution of the human brain , and if that evolution is truly a good thing , then we should honor that gift by ensuring our continued evolution – by choosing to NOT EAT ANIMALS !
None of us live in prehistoric Africa anymore – and no one is currently suffering through an Ice Age . As such , not a single one of us needs to eat meat or consume animal secretions to live long ( actually longer ) and healthy ( actually healthier ) lives . Thus , since it is not necessary for us to cause others suffering for our survival , it is immoral – and indeed , borderline despicable – to continue to choose to do so .
We have come a long way as a species , my Friends – far enough that most of us no longer support or engage in slavery , rape , incest , wrongful imprisonment , torture , bigotry , injustice , or cruelty in our relations with other humans ... As such , it is high time we started “ acting our age ” – by extending the same basic decency to all other sentient animals as well .
Current status of this Myth : Cleansed Justification it provides for eating animals : NONE
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