“I actually have a fair amount of respect for people who go out hunting and shoot their food themselves. ”
I hear this a lot and agree in a vague sense that felt a lot like a cached thought. So I started thinking about it: Should we really respect people who go out to hunt and kill animals themselves?
My initial reaction was that I’m wary, not respectful, of someone comfortable/enthusiastic about ending a life! As a display of character, it’s worrying.
But on second examination, I changed my mind. Even from a virtue ethics perspective, I admire a person who’s willing to face the consequences of their actions rather than letting the factory farming go on out of sight. You’re right, willful ignorance is not something to respect.
And from a consequentialist standpoint, hunters almost certainly cause less suffering to the animals than factory farmers do.
Having grown up in a city on the East Coast, I didn’t exactly grow up with an appreciation for hunters. But I think I respect them a bit more now.
Hi everyone, my name is Jesse. I was introduced to LessWrong by my sister, Julia, a couple years ago and I’ve found the posts here fantastic.
Since college, I’ve been a professional atheist. I’ve done communications/PR work for three secular nonprofit organizations, helping to put a friendly face on nontheistic people and promoting a secular worldview/philosophy. It doesn’t exactly pay well, but I like knowing that I’m part of making the world a more rational place.
I’m fascinated by a lot of the same things you are—psychology, rationality, language. But as a communications director, I have a particular passion for effective communication and persuasion. The “A Human’s Guide to Words” sequence was invaluable in shaping my understanding and practice.
The question currently on my mind (among others) is: “Does it make sense to call a particular persuasion technique unethical? Or does it entirely depend on how it’s used?”
Let me know what you think, and I look forward to being a part of this community!
Jesse