I'm always desperate to understand the mechanisms around this, so thank you for the insights.
Regarding the opening line of your last paragraph, are you in disagreement with the idea that eating meat is immoral, or are you just saying it is offensive for someone to tell you what you're doing is immoral full stop (whatever the topic)?
I ask because at the start you say you arent offended by the facts about factory farming and climate impacts - so it sounds like you realise the immoralness? But your key issue is with someone judging you for that immoral action, and for suggesting you should change? Or have I misinterpreted?
Of course, thank you for the understanding response!
I don't think that eating meat is immoral, animals eat each other every day, and I think that most people are okay with this.
But I can recognize that the conditions in factory farms are not okay, the misery that the animals experience is not ethical, and I think if you show any carnivore a video of the inside of a factory farm they will agree. Working to improve the lives of farm animals will encounter very little resistance from even the most vocal carnivore.
I also don't deny that meat production releases methane, and that is not good for the planet. Most carnivores will not have a problem with trying to use technology and new techniques to lower the carbon footprint of farming. For example feeding cows seaweed instead of traditional feed is supposed to cause a net reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
But as soon as you start actively trying to take away my ability to eat meat or my ability to feed my family with meat, then that is where I take offense. i.e. you can show me the facts and let me come to my own conclusion. You can raise awareness, you can put in place regulations for humane treatment of animals, you can implement new technologies to reduce emissions. But if you try to forcibly change my diet, or even _imply_ that someone should forcibly change my diet, that is where I take offense.
Would your opinion be different in the case where your ability to consume meat is hampered by making the price of meat higher so that the negative externalities (i.e the many environmental impacts, treatment of the animals) of its production are truly accounted for?
Regarding the opening line of your last paragraph, are you in disagreement with the idea that eating meat is immoral, or are you just saying it is offensive for someone to tell you what you're doing is immoral full stop (whatever the topic)?
I ask because at the start you say you arent offended by the facts about factory farming and climate impacts - so it sounds like you realise the immoralness? But your key issue is with someone judging you for that immoral action, and for suggesting you should change? Or have I misinterpreted?