Lately I am rapidly evolving into a dangerous extremist, i.e. an animal rights supporter. I blame this on two books I have read recently, Animals Like Us by Mark Rowlands, and Rage and Reason by Michael Tobias. I know, I chose to read them. Or did some drive or compulsion beyond my conscious control compel me to do so?
Anyway, for those still reading (and I hope that's not just animal rights nutcases like me), Rowlands book is an excellent presentation of the ethical case for animal rights. Its hard (for me at least) to dispute his argument that equal consideration of interests should apply to all sentient beings. And I defy anyone to read his chapters on factory farming and vivisection and then go on to knowingly fund these practices.
I read Rage and Reason in a day, I was so gripped by it. Its the story of a super fit ex forces vegetarian psycho who takes revenge on scientists, chefs, furriers etc., in various imaginative and grisly ways. Its fiction by the way.
So, in my defence, I believe I have been propagandized. Read my next post to see how this has disrupted some of my interpersonal relationships.
