Preface
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Several points to consider regarding the “culture and tradition” objection to veganism and animal rights.
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| Advocacy Notes | 2 |
| Footnotes | 3 |
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Summary
A concise summary of the briefing (see below for citations).
Throughout history, culture and tradition have often been used to justify unethical practices. While they provide stability, they are not always ethical. Practices previously accepted culturally, like the subjugation of women or slavery, aren’t morally acceptable.
Just because a practice has been long-standing doesn’t justify its continuation if it is ethically problematic. The longer it persists, the more harm it causes.
Veganism aligns with values like fairness, justice, compassion, and nonviolence, which are consistent with our cultural ideals.
Context
Places this topic in its larger context.
Appeals to culture and tradition pose significant challenges in the realm of animal ethics because culture and tradition are so ingrained in our psyche,
Logically, however, such appeals are easy to counter, and can be done so on the basis of reason alone—the response need not be accompanied by research and citations.
Key Points
This section provides talking points.
We are not justified in doing something just because we have been doing it.
Human history is abundant with examples of injustices that have been defended with an appeal to culture and tradition, including the subjugation of women, slavery, discrimination against gays, and female genital mutilation.
While culture and tradition may serve the useful purpose of providing stability and grounding to a group, they should not blindly perpetuate injustices.
We should not confuse culture and tradition with ethics. The fact that a practice is culturally acceptable does not mean it’s morally acceptable.
The length of time we have been engaging in a practice does not exonerate the practice.
An appeal to culture and tradition is often accompanied by an assertion that we have been engaging in a practice for hundreds or thousands of years.
If a practice is ethically problematic, then the longer the practice has been engaged in, the more harm it has caused.
We can’t undo the past, but we can minimize our personal contribution to the problem now and in the future by going vegan.
The fact that a practice is a way of living is not pertinent.
That a practice has become a way of living makes it more difficult to dislodge, but if the practice is unethical, it does not diminish the need to dislodge it.
We have other cultural values that are consistent with the values of veganism.
The idea behind veganism is that we should not unnecessarily harm animals, a belief that almost everyone holds, and a belief that is a feature of our culture.
The values that veganism embodies, fairness, justice, compassion, and nonviolence, are also consistent with our culture.
The fact that we don’t always live up to those values does not mean we shouldn’t try to live up to them.
Our values are strengthened every time someone goes vegan.
Counterclaims
Responses to some yes but retorts.
Counterclaims are often not included in objection-type briefings because the objection itself functions as a form of counterargument.
Supplementary Info
Additional information that may prove useful.
A note on how cultural values are transferred:
- “Primary cultural values are transmitted to a culture’s members by parenting and socialization, education, and religion. There are also secondary factors that affect ethical behavior. They include differences in the systems of laws across nations, accepted human resource management systems, organizational culture, and professional cultures and codes of conduct.”1
Further Study
Sources providing a deeper understanding of the topic or related topics.
Other Resources
Culture, Religion and Tradition Do Not Justify Human Rights Abuse discusses the stance of the International Humanist and Ethical Union (IHEU) at the United Nations, arguing that cultural and religious traditions should not be used to justify human rights abuses.2
The Misuse of Culture explores how cultural narratives can be manipulated to justify unethical practices and the implications for social justice.3
Advocacy Resources
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Advocacy Notes
Tips for Advocacy and Outreach
This objection is usually an impulsive reaction raised without forethought.
The Socratic method can be particularly useful here. Ask “Can you think of any historical practices that justified based on tradition and culture that are not considered immoral?”
Footnotes
Our sources, with links back to where they’re used.
- Pitta, Dennis A., et al. “Ethical Issues across Cultures: Managing the Differing Perspectives of China and the USA.” Journal of Consumer Marketing, vol. 16, no. 3, June 1999, pp. 240–256, home.ubalt.edu/ntsbpitt/ethics.pdf, https://doi.org/10.1108/07363769910271487. ↩︎
- “Culture, Religion and Tradition Do Not Justify Human Rights Abuse, Says IHEU at UN.” Humanists International, 22 June 2015, web.archive.org/web/20231130041803/humanists.international/2015/06/culture-religion-and-tradition-do-not-justify-human-rights-abuse-says-iheu-at-un/. ↩︎
- Klitgaard, Robert. “The Misuse of Culture.” Oxford University Press EBooks, 18 Dec. 2020, https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780197517734.003.0006. Accessed 4 July 2024. ↩︎
