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You may be watching the Planet Earth miniseries, and maybe you've read books describing the tribal existence of humanity (either as early man or more recent native American, African, and other tribal groups). If so, you’ll know that we all lived just like our fellow animals once upon a time. We had small groups of people to feed, clothe and shelter. Killing an animal provided us with protein to eat; fat used in foodstuffs and for making candles, leather dressing, soap, and lubricants; material for clothing and rugs, blankets, tents, etc.; bones for use as implements and weapons. We used every bit of the animal when needed, even developing means of drying and curing the meat so that it could sustain us in the future.
We were truly omnivores, and our dependence on the killing, and later, the domestication of animals, sustained us so that we could thrive. After all, polyester and naugahyde and paraffin and soy-based chemistry had all yet to be invented.
There are much fewer humans living the classic tribal existence today. And granted, while we can manufacture many things today that aren’t as completely based on animals, I do NOT think that eating animal meat is something we should have grown out of, or sought to replace with alternatives. It is nature’s plan that predators and prey exist. Human beings are both. It IS shitty that with modernity comes a greater cruelty in the so-called harvesting of animals. But there are now billions of us, most with the same nutritional needs of our ancestors.
Maybe the above is my way of “justifying” why I eat meat, why humans eat meat. If I were suddenly dropped in the middle of a jungle or plains – assuming I lasted more than ten minutes – I have to assume I’d eventually be sharpening rocks and trying to attach them to long sticks. To thrive.
