I enjoy eating meat. No question about it.
I'll confess to some discomfort about animal treatment at modern factory farms, and about the carbon footprint and other pollution factors involved in raising cattle, pigs, poultry, etc., but, bottom line is, I'm not so uncomfortable that it's going to keep me from eating a steak, or veal chop, or bacon. Or even a burger.
But, he -- if PETA can develop (or reward the development of) decent vat-grown meat -- more power to them, and I'll be more than happy to switch.
Actually, the story is as much interesting for the divisions within PETA over the issue.
A founder of PETA, Ingrid Newkirk, said she had been hoping to get the organization involved in advancing in vitro meat technology for at least a decade. But, Ms. Newkirk said, the decision to sponsor a prize caused “a near civil war in our office,” since so many PETA members are repulsed by the thought of eating animal tissue, even if no animals are killed.
Lisa Lange, a vice president of the organization, said she was part of the heated exchange. “My main concern is, as the largest animal rights organization in the world, it’s our job to introduce the philosophy and hammer it home that animals are not ours to eat.” Ms. Lange added, “I remember saying I would be much more comfortable promoting eating roadkill.”
Ms. Newkirk said the disagreement was natural, adding, “We will have members leave us over this.”
“People say animal rights people can’t agree,” she said. “Well, human beings can’t agree. In any social cause community, there are people who strive for purity.” Her goal, she said, was more pragmatic. “We don’t mind taking uncomfortable positions if it means that fewer animals suffer.” In that way, she said, “in vitro meat is a godsend.”
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I love the idea, especially if a tender juicy steak could be engineered to be good for me so a doctor would insist I eat steak more often. But apparently the idea's a little more complicated than one might think watching a few cells grow in a petri dish. Could be difficult to industrialize.
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