Let's break down the hierarchies

Admittedly I've been greatly influenced by Ecology of Freedom by Murray Bookchin recently, with his talk of hierarchies, but it makes so much sense, really resonates with me. If not for hierarchies, would we think exploitation was okay? I'm thinking not. Murray has me convinced. Furthermore, here we are, thinking we're the smartest animals on earth, somehow above all sorts of moral considerations...but wait! We're the only animals on the earth stupid enough to be destroying that which we need to live. Are humans really the smartest of them all?

So how to break down the hierarchical thinking? I think the first step is to make it personal. Objectification is so prevalent in society, we accept it without consideration. Well, here's news: it isn't meat, it is murder. It isn't beef, it is a cow. An intelligent, feeling, thinking, personality-filled being that people torture and kill in the name of their McMurder sandwich. Read about Elvis and then try to tell me cows are not worthy of our consideration! But don't take this to mean I somehow believe that an animal has to be smart to be worthy. It is all about the equality of inequals. You wouldn't BBQ an alzheimer's patient or a brain-damaged baby, would you?