Leaving moral consideration of non-human animals aside, just by the laws of thermodynamics, a vegan diet requires significantly less energy than a diet that relies on factory farming and is therefore more conducive to efficient resource usage. I don’t see how reforming factory farming in favor of better animal welfare would do anything but drastically intensify this discrepancy. The world is not large enough to have cattle that aren’t being treated akin to torture if we’re eating anywhere near the amount of meat we are now. If we use free-range guidelines for all currently existing cattle (probably not that great for animal welfare since its a meat industry designation) a preposterous percentage of earth’s arable land would need to be dedicated to cattle grazing. So its obviously and unquestionably the case that veganism is better for the environment than a diet that relies on factory farming of animals and the idea that we could reform the meat industry to be morally upstanding is unrealistic. The old utility of cattle was transforming calories that couldn’t be eaten by humans (grass and similar plants) into calories we can consume (meat products). That’s no longer necessary. GMO soy can grow just about anywhere grass and plants consumed by cattle can.
So there is essentially no reasonable argument for meat consumption beyond cultural sensitivity–a completely legitimate concern mind you. That argument is fine until people have to choose between upholding traditional dietary habits and making sure everybody has enough food. We presently produce enough food globally to feed everyone currently on earth. I dont think we are at the point where mandating veganism is necessary to feed the planet. I personally am not a vegan. But if the global population grows sufficiently, we will eventually reach that point.



Definitely a failure in ethical philosophy for my fellow Jews but ultimately what their support of Israel means differs so greatly as to render the term ‘support’ difficult to parse. Israel isn’t just a material place but also a spurious concept that many Jews hold as something like a Jewish right to defend oneself from violence. Obviously very mixed up if you haven’t been blasted by the greatest propaganda and influence peddling machine in human history for your entire life.