Acharya Prashant addresses the misconception that animals are born for human consumption, asserting that while humans have the choice to eat anything, they must consider the ethical implications. He draws a parallel between eating animals and eating humans, questioning why those who enjoy meat do not consume human flesh, especially from those already sentenced to death or deceased. He explains that the same moral reasons that prevent us from eating humans should also discourage us from eating animals. He emphasizes that all forms of consumption involve some level of violence, but the scale differs significantly. He categorizes violence into units: eating humans represents a thousand units of violence, eating animals represents a hundred units, and eating plants represents only one unit. While acknowledging that human existence inherently requires some violence through agriculture, he urges people to choose the path of least harm. He points out that even large-scale farming involves violence and that the current global population of eight billion necessitates destructive agricultural practices. To truly practice non-violence, he argues that humanity must not only stop population growth but actively reduce it to a fraction of its current size. Ultimately, he advises that if one must eat to survive, one should choose vegetarianism as it minimizes the inevitable violence associated with living.
