Well put. “Protecting animals from suffering” is often a cover for exploitation. It’s fine to have slaves for the purpose of companionship and emotional surrogacy, because I give them a good life where they don’t have to worry about where their next meal or den comes from. But any of us often choose to suffer, for many reasons. Protecting someone from suffering often looks like denying someone autonomy, to suffer for their values, for their future, for their children; we LIKE to suffer, when it’s our choice, within our capacity, and the outcome is something we desire. We cannot really understand the mind of another and making such decisions for them is not compassion or empathy, it is hubris and self-delusion. But we can evaluate our own actions on the basis of exploitation.
Well put. “Protecting animals from suffering” is often a cover for exploitation. It’s fine to have slaves for the purpose of companionship and emotional surrogacy, because I give them a good life where they don’t have to worry about where their next meal or den comes from. But any of us often choose to suffer, for many reasons. Protecting someone from suffering often looks like denying someone autonomy, to suffer for their values, for their future, for their children; we LIKE to suffer, when it’s our choice, within our capacity, and the outcome is something we desire. We cannot really understand the mind of another and making such decisions for them is not compassion or empathy, it is hubris and self-delusion. But we can evaluate our own actions on the basis of exploitation.