[bradbeattie]

Not to drift too far off topic, but you may be surprised to learn about biomass transfer efficiency. It takes a lot more plant mass to feed to animals than eating those plants directly. This "plants might feel pain too" gotcha doesn't really play out.

[hencq]

I feel you misunderstood the point being made. Societal norms and attitudes evolve and blindly measuring history against contemporary standards is often counterproductive.

Please don't mistake this as some apology for slavery, wife beating, antisemitism or whatever. It isn't; people did reprehensible things in the past. Just realize that it's extremely unlikely that our current norms are the objectively correct ones that will be forever unchanged.

[mensetmanusman]

I believe there is more slavery, wife beating, and antisemitism now than in the past.

[mcdevilkiller]

Ruminants are the most efficient fiber processors, and we are some of the most efficient ruminant-meat processors. We also cannot process fiber.

[lenkite]

That's assuming the biomass can be eaten by humans in the first place. We can't digest a lot of stuff that can be eaten by animals whom we can eat in turn.