Comment by dizzystar | Hacker News Reader

Comment by dizzystar | Hacker News Reader

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Choosing food on ethical grounds is a load of crap. Here's a counter-example discussing the slavery on California strawberry farms:

http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/1995/11/in-the-s...

>>> Migrants are among the poorest workers in the United States. The average migrant worker is a twenty-eight-year-old male, born in Mexico, who earns about $5,000 a year for twenty-five weeks of farm work. His life expectancy is forty-nine years. <<<

I'm hoping some things changed since 1995, but as someone used to to construction in California and had to compete against dry-wallers earning $3/hour, I am doubtful.

One would have to be very careful in choosing "ethical food," lest they have tunnel vision in only protecting animals, and by their pure nature of replacing lost calories with more vegetables, they encourage more human slavery in the world, and yes... in America.

How does that mean choosing food on ethical fronds is crap? Anyone can adjust their food buying preferences based on knowledge about what went into bringing that food to your table (anything from the factory farming, mistreatment of labor, or fossil fuels used in transportation cost being oft-cited factors). It's impractical to be 100% involved in every kernel of corn in your corn flakes, but just because you can't be perfect doesn't mean you shouldn't try.

I understand what you're trying to say, but it's hardly the same thing. Getting paid vs being "caged" then killed is a very different argument.

This is an ethical bounds area. Although I am against murder of any human, I also think that locking a 20-year-old in prison for 60 years is a far more inhumane punishment than a hanging.

In my opinion, slavery is far worse than death. Could you imagine working under a hot sun for 15 hour days only to wake up and do it all over again everyday for the rest of your life? Supposedly, this stuff was banned throughout the whole world but it is still ubiquitous. People and politicians actively encourage it by looking the other way, not caring, or justifying the use of slavery because of a pretty contract.

I do feel some pity for the animals dying for my own health, but in the same token, if I was not dependent on the local super-market, I would end up hunting it myself. For certain, America treats its animals far better than other countries. I won't eat veil, shark fin, or foie gras. There is a huge difference between inflicting outright suffering and growing an animal for the purposes of slaughter.

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