The assigned readings throughout this course have definitely affected the ways I feel about animal ethics and brought me to realize that my choices ultimately play a part in the lives of countless animals. This is most evident in how each individuals food choice aids in the number of slaughtered animals. When Nick Looney came in and informed us that a single vegetarian saves the life of 3500 animals I was shocked, to say the least. Also David Degrazia's essay,
Meat- Eating, was disturbing and unsettling because it's difficult to even fathom that " American farm animals have virtually no legal protections" (220). The hardships and pain of these suffering animals has truly encouraged me to not only try and change the way I view food, but also essentially change it. Further, looking back through the section on zoo animals I was extremely affected. Animals are meant to be free, not restricted to insufficient confinements for the purpose of entertainment. Before I actually went to the zoo and read the persuasions from the Animals Ethics Reader, I thought they were a lovely idea. However, upon viewing the living spaces and obnoxious tourists that bang on their cages, yell, and take pictures, my opinion was dramatically amended. Dale Jamieson describes it best when he states that these animals are " tak[en] out of their natural habitats, transport[ed] great distances, and ke[pt] in alien environments in which their liberty is severely limited" (507). No animals deserves such treatment. If it had not been for this course I most likely would never have questioned the institutions of zoos and the food which I consume everyday.
I think the most important tool I have learned and will carry on into further writing endeavors is persuasive writing. I have definitely improved in that category, not to mention, I now analyze the texts I read far more thoroughly. Overall, this semester has been a productive and helpful one.
No comments:
Post a Comment