Eat While You Need

COVID-19 pandemic is spreading its pestilence across the globe. This virus is sparing none; and looks like setting new paradigm in equality (well we know nature does not discriminate). While there is pointing fingers across various country leaders from its origin, control and handling of the crisis; is it just that this is happening to humans? Did we deserve what we got?

Greed in a selfish way seem our creed. Humans continue to eat because we like it, not because we need it. All other animals consume food when they need (hungry) only humans consume whenever we also like it. Added factor is that the consumption of meat has moved from occasional to major part in human diet. The overall consumption of meat increased from 50 milliontons/year to 300milliontons/year in last 60 years.

Excessive meat consumption creates ethical concerns and related issues to produce. Few of those are endangering species, conditions in which the animals are farmed, cruelty involved in the ways of slaughtering. 

These acts have caused imbalance in the Earth’s ecosystem. As such these acts of greed could be seen as evil and Mother Nature is punishing in her own ways through the COVID-19 pandemic. The fact that the origin of the virus is currently considered to have started by animal to human transmission could rationalize this reasoning. The collective human behavior and actions seem to have caused the misfortune that has befallen on us. It is #Karma in Asian terminology or as #JustWorldHypothesis in Western psychology. 

This hypothesis makes the need for rethinking human food consumption. Humans are species with high level of cognition. As being rational souls we could approach the situation in two different ways. First by accepting the reality; make it a need (when hungry) to eat not a like to eat. By doing this consumption of food will get abated thereby allowing resources to be optimized and effectively used. Secondly by rationalization; humans have to rethink their eating habits. Technology revolution is linked with reduced physical activity at work, home and travel and increased sedentary activities especially television watching, smart phone usage. This could mean it is time to rethink consumption of high energy food that after digestion if not used accumulates as fat further complicating health conditions.

To come out is by creating more awareness led by parents, health officials and governments. Laws should be put in place for ethical breeding of animals. These actions will regulate the food chain and make it sustainable. #Eatwhileyouneed and not when you like.