'We shouldn't breed humans as they harm animals,' says vegan caller
2 January 2020, 20:48
This vegan caller told Tom Swarbrick that we shouldn't breed humans as they harm animals and instead we should "encourage a graceful ending of our time on the planet."
Danny said he has taken a further step to having compassion for sentient beings and believes in anti-natalism, the idea we shouldn't be breeding humans. "We shouldn't be having more humans because we cause so much suffering."
Tom, slightly speechless, said: "That is the fastest way to extinction possible."
"Well what's wrong with that?" asked Danny, "I think that we should encourage a graceful ending of our time on the planet."
Tom asked him what he tells his children to which the caller replied: "I tell them that I encourage them to question their own reproduction."
Danny said he doesn't want grandchildren and doesn't want his own children to "impose life on another generation for no good reason."
He explained that he came to this belief late in life after having three children: "Even though I'm plant-based I still realise that lots of animals have to die in the fields that get chopped up by the harvests. Therefore life itself is full of the exploitation and suffering of other beings as well as the exploitation and suffering of ourselves."
Tom said this is "nihilistic stuff" and this is the stance of "what's the point?" Danny said he agreed but his ideas aren't pure nihilism and there is a point in reducing unnecessary suffering.
He said he plans to start a petition to change the current animal welfare act as it currently only covers protected animals and believes it should be all animals to which Tom said he doesn't know how that can possibly be achieved.
"I've not had anybody yet that welcomes the extinction of humanity," remarked Tom.
