If we could hold conversations with animals, would we all be vegetarians?

The simple answer would be 'No' - we kill people so why wouldn't we kill animals.

Since recorded history we have invented progressively more lethal ways to kill our neighbours, rather shamefully we have consistently used such equipment upon those members of humanity that are 'of the other'. This killing has gone on for generations despite our ability to communicate with one another. Did the fact that the Nazis and German Jews prevent the Holocaust? Does the shared language in Sri Lanka prevent the killing between the different people? Did the ability to understand one another prevent members of North and South Ireland from killing one another? One final example - the genocide in Darfur.

It is obvious that an ability to communicate does not stop violence.

As humans we have found more and more ridiculous reasons to kill one other, from fighting over resources (oil, gold, water), tribal conflict (Ireland, Sudan) to the craziest argument of who has the biggest God.

This previous criminal history of humanity of a whole lets me believe that, even were animals able to talk to us, we wouldn't stop for one instance in our pursuit of meat to eat. Once you understand that we will kill each other over the shape of the nose, because you own more of a type of mineral or because your God is 'wrong' - is it so wrong to imagine that we would continue to kill in order to live in the fashion to which we are accustomed?

Finally, if we can kill and torture great apes, which have been shown to be able to communicate, for novelty ashtrays and medical experimentation - then what makes you think that we would pay any attention to the cow saying "No!" as it reaches the bolt-gun operator.

This blogpost is an attempt to win a laptop over at Lovetolead - I just need people to go to the site and vote for it. Yes, it would make me very happy to win a laptop. You have all week - Do you need me to beg?