by Christyl Rivers

Created on: February 02, 2011   Last Updated: February 03, 2011

The answer is in the question.  Products, production, product development -all the way to product disposal- hurts us, because it hurts everything along the whole chain. Testing products is not isolated from a whole process from idea conception, to disposal of junk.

Animal suffering by testing some of the products is just a link in the chain of pain. Keeping adequate habitat, clean air, water, food, protected soil, and enriched environments for us, means caring about all living things. They give us life.

People who believe it is okay to take from nature, be it in our mining, deforestation, polluting, or what have you, believe the earth is here for our benefit.  When pushed, they say the "our" is humanity. But humanity is not separate from the living systems we are in. We are all water, minerals, chemistry and systems, with smaller systems within us, and larger systems beyond us. Bio diversity, pollination, and more allow life to exist.  Our disconnection from other life has hurt mental, emotional, physical and global health.

As to whether we have a right to hurt our related beings will not be settled here. The question should be, should we disregard suffering of any other living thing? Is it wise to allow suffering when we do not have to do so?  The answer to this is obvious to all but the most sociopathic people out there.  Of course we should not allow suffering for the production of products that in themselves create more suffering.  At the very least if we must test products we owe the sacrificed animal supreme gratitude and a comfortable retirement, if possible.

Some people, do in fact suffer from the psychological pain of their awareness of  needless suffering. Even the argument that no humans are "harmed" cannot defend hurting earth or animals.  If it makes people vomit, have nightmares, or just become desensitized, desperate, or despairing of our role on earth, is that not suffering? 

So forget, if you choose to do so, that animals suffer.  Simply care enough about your fellow humans that you respect their reactions.  If you really see yourself as somehow superior to other life forms created by God, don't push your agenda on others.  You must also consider human suffering.

We can find ways to have products that are harmless enough that very little testing is required. Why does everything we buy have to be packaged in, contain, or in some way from its gathering, to its disposal, have to involve toxins when it did not for the first million years?

Every raw material we have comes from earth. Economy of scale has been invented to protect profit, and endless need for more stuff, for more products is created with little regard for where it came from. What Eco systems are impacted? How was it produced, how manufactured, how much energy expended, and who suffers what?  We all suffer from this chain of suffering, because it touches us all.

Learn more about this author, Christyl Rivers.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.