A good example of this desire to not complicate one's life too much is the hesitation when faced with the prospect of adopting a pet. It really saddens me that so many people basically have to be convinced to do this, when the presence of a cat, dog, or other animal in the household can bring so much happiness to all parties involved. Still, people have their routines, which they feel will be compromised by having to walk a dog, by making it harder to travel, by having to spend more money on cat food, litter, vets, etc. While I can understand all of these reasons, I still have to remind you that life is about stepping outside your comfort zone in order to help those that need it; and a cat or dog living a relatively lonely life in a shelter would definitely qualify as someone who needs help. Personal well-being is important, and there's nothing wrong with ensuring this well-being, but the reasons that most people give for not committing to a stray animal are not very convincing. Any changes in your lifestyle will be outweighed by the benefits of the noble act of rescuing an animal. I myself have adopted or rescued several animals. The first cat that I rescued initially seemed like a burden, because at that point I had never taken care of another animal, but over time she became an inseparable part of our family, and to this day I love her very much.
Another example of choosing the easy way out, the path of least resistance, if you will, is the reluctance of many animal lovers to adopt a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle. Again, even with all the new information about the benefits of a plant-based diet, as well as more and more meat-free options readily available, many "animal lovers" still can't completely cross over to a lifestyle that says no to violence towards animals. Sometimes this is because of uncertainty about missing out on essential nutrients or the fear of having to take supplements. I often wonder why the same people don't realize the simple truth that any diet has to be well-balanced to work, and that more meat-eaters take supplements for one reason or another than vegetarians or vegans do. Others say things like “animal proteins are more complete”, and that they don't want to have to work hard to mix and match plant-based foods to ensure they get the same protein. Once again, the comfort zone. "I don't want to have to do anything that will make my life any more difficult". I, and many others like me, will gladly mix and match veggie proteins if it means not partaking in the violence and death of the meat and dairy industries. For any truly compassionate individual who can see the big picture, this is a no-brainer. There are also quite a few people who simply state that they love the taste of meat and can't live without it. Whether overtly or not, what they are saying is that they don't give a damn if animals are killed, as long as they get to have that pleasure of eating meat. Hopefully someday these people will wake up to a more compassionate way of life, for their own sake and for the sake of all the innocent animals in the meat industry.
It's a lot easier to help with helping is easy. Unfortunately, helping is sometimes not easy. Even in our world, where instant gratification has become more and more commonplace, not everything can be arranged at the push of a button. Difficult ethical choices sometimes have to be made, ones that challenge the way we live. Acting to help animals is a very important part of life. We should all ask ourselves if we're doing enough to help, or if, like most people, we're too stuck in our comfort zone to really make a difference.
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