A short lesson in ethical living for the new year

Certain ethical points that should be pretty obvious:

We shouldn't exploit children just because they are weaker than us, or people with mental disabilities just because they're less intelligent;

We can't simply go up to someone and have sex with them just because we find them attractive;

We can't go and live in a stranger's house just because we think it's nicer than ours;

We can't take someone's coat off their back and start wearing it just because we like how it looks/feels;

We shouldn't physically hurt someone just because we find them annoying;

We shouldn't eat the meat of animals, just because we like the taste, or wear their fur/skin because we like how it looks/feels.

While the first five points are fairly obvious to most of us, many of us still have no problem with eating meat, even though the latter is arguably even worse than some of the other points since it involves taking innocent lives. This is because we see animals as lesser beings that are meant to serve us, and to give up their lives for our benefit whenever we want. While not as advanced as humans, the animals with whom we share the planet are sentient beings, meaning they feel pain, fear, and many other emotions, just like we do. They are often very intelligent creatures. In most parts of the world, there are more and more healthy alternatives to eating meat. If you haven't done so already, today could be the day when you say "enough", and advance to a higher level of consciousness by saying no to meat. Today is the day when you can become part of the solution, instead of part of the problem.