I think it's having to watch it die that really horrifies people. I know someone who took his kids to a small farm to see a cow get slaughtered and help prepare the meat. At first I thought it was kind of messed up and unnecessary. But honestly after thinking about it, everyone should be doing that. People should see where their meat comes from, realize something had to lose it's life for that meal. People would care more about mistreatment in factory farmed meat if they had to see the real emotions of farm animals
I agree, and I hunt. I get good meat and at a low cost. The animal lives a good life, free to do as it pleases, gets a chance to reproduce, and gets a chance to escape/avoid. If I do succeed it's over very quickly. No stressful trip to a slaughter house, no CAFO, etc. It can also help avoid over population of specific species and associated issues like car accidents (although in many cases it's an imprudent driver).
I would love to have higher quality, better treated meat than what's normally available in the grocery store. In some cases it's possible to get it at a local farm. Pork is tough to find that way. Chicken can be tough to find at a good price. Beef is actually pretty common and a fairly decent price. Although as a side note, they still have to endure the trip to the slaughter house to be USDA inspected.
As far as I can tell (not a hunter myself), getting shot through center mass seems like one of those least miserable ways that an animal can die in the wild. Starvation, disease, or being torn apart by a coyote all seem like worse and slower deaths.
"If slaughterhouses had glass walls, everyone would be vegetarian."
I don't know if it is 100% true, but I am certain most people would turn into vegetarian. As time has passed due to ruthless industries, I think we should replace vegetarianism with veganism.
The videos of slaughter houses and commercial farms is readily available. Many documentaries include it and it's even been broadcast on the news. Some people have made changes based on that, but I think it's a small number, not "most".
I think there is difference between vicarious experience vs real view. I don't think I have ever seen any news related to egregious violation by animal industries. In fact, I think news are accomplice to such violation because they are afraid of negative PR and keep advertising "happy" cows, green farms as a mean of propaganda through advertisements.
I think I can relate to this with war. If people see war with their eyes they would empathize it. But, if US media shows how they are doing some favor to humanity (like how media show how animal are important for human diet blah blah) many people are oblivious to war.
I still hold my opinion that if human see the egregious violation of animal industry in real time, or they have to kill animal themself for food, most would abstain meat for sake of emotions.
"I don't think I have ever seen any news related to egregious violation by animal industries."
Just search for it. There are articles and videos about it on various networks like NBC, fox, etc.
"... or they have to kill animal themself for food, most would abstain meat for sake of emotions."
Well, there are about 15 million hunters in the US. It's also reasonable to expect that many more people would start/return to to hunting if that were the only way to get meat. And for areas like cities where it's impractical, I think many people would not be bothered by having to kill a domestic animal for meat if it was the only way.
84% of vegetarians and vegans return to eating meat. Seems like pretty strong evidence to support the idea that a majority of people would still eat meat, even if they had to witness or perform the killing. Would a significant majority stop eating meat? Probably, but current levels are 2% vegetarian or vegan in the US. I don't see that going beyond 49% even if you had to kill the animal yourself.
Any evidence to even tentatively support your side?
