Applying human feelings to chickens and animals doesn't work, because they simply havent got them.
An unsubstantiated claim? (Choosing an assertion because it would support your current viewpoint)
Practicality should not be mistaken for cruelty.
...said the torturer...
Given the choice, I'd preferr to eat free range food thats devoid of nasty chemicals but whilst it would be better for the animals concerned, my over riding reason would be because its actually better for me and mine.
OK
! Most people hide their selfish reasoning under layers of socially acceptable rationalisation. At least you aren't suffering from that here!!!
We can afford to buy free range food but thats down to our good fortune, the vast majority of people can't.
It may be you don't pay in an immediately obvious way 'up front' for intensive farming etc, but in the long run in terms of health, environmental degredation... maybe it costs more?
There are a few things that people should realise as well though, and that is that whilst there is undeniably bad practice going on in some areas of farming, the farm animals are a product that are going to be eventually killed for us to eat. There's no nice way of hiding this fact, they will be killed and turned into meat.
If you are rearing them for meat, so be it, but I hope you are not arguing we should accept those who do the bad practice because the animals are only going to be killed anyway...
To replace big scale intensive farming an alternative has got to be found and at the moment nobody has come up with one .
Ultimately, it requires people to develop into full 'humans', rather than remaining at the 'I want' stage - be it large families, 4x4s, any general immediate gratification of wants etc. etc.
Until people look at and understand themselves, and make the effort to improve, then there is no solution, technological or otherwise, that can help anything much that goes on in the world. Those that are 'good' are far too hard at work restraining and ameliorating the effects of the weeds to be able to develop the garden.
To those who think that the whole world should become vegetarian, I say " you can have my share of nuts and soya"
Usage of good arable land for animals is wasting 90% of food capacity. And that's before we start growing fuel-crops!!! Cut down the number of people, perhaps? I'll have your nuts, but I'm not interested in the soya - especially if it is trying to pretend to be meat, or GM!
All pigs, cows, calves sheep and most chickens are bred to eat. It doesn't matter to them at what age they get the chop. This is how we get our meat and those who can't come to terms with this either turn vegetarian or pretend that meat is actually grown in polystyrene containers with a cling film placenta surrounding it.
'All' may be an exaggeration (especially if it came to Hindus?) But I know what you mean. I became vegetarian 23 years ago solely on the principle of moving the 'killing' line as far down the consciousness scale as practically possible. But my best friend actually has kept chickens and believes in (and has done) killing his own meat - although the supermarket is more convenient. We get on fine because we both get on with what we genuinely believe in.
As for 'good' and 'bad' - do you want to start a religion discussion? - now that could get heated!!!