Every consumer is at the end point of a supply chain to bring them what they want. When food choices are involved, they impact on the lives of animals. Yet this link between consumerism and the exploitation of animals is not readily apparent. Nor is the suffering animals must go through to satisfy consumer demand.

Despite the fake marketing images designed to assuage the consumer, meat, eggs, and dairy products are produced on factory farms where animals are divorced from everything that is natural to them. Nothing in evolution has prepared them for lives characterized by concrete and steel, minimal space, abusive humans, untreated injuries, drugs, and artificial feed, which may include ground up parts of their own species. They live in a state of constant distress and deprivation, day in, day out.

They endure all of this in the name of human greed. Animal exploitation of any kind is about making money. More profits come from the more an animal can be made to produce or the less it can be made to survive on. That means the welfare of animals is of little concern. Everyone knows that businesses will cut corners when they can. In the meat, egg, and dairy industry that invariably means more suffering and confinement, abuse and cruelty for animals.

Most people are appauled by animal cruelty because most believe that animals should not suffer. Most people have a sense of fairness and a moral code they live by. But entrenched attitudes prevent them from examining the extent to which they really live by these standards:

They have been brought up to habitually eat meat at every meal because of propoganda that a meal isn't a meal without meat.

They've been brought up to believe you will suffer malnution without egg and dairy products.

They have been brought up to believe that the government and responsible business owners have checks and balances in place.

They have been brought up to not questioned their food choices because the animal holocaust, purposely hidden from public view, seemingly does not affect their lives.

But when people begin to educate themselves about the realities of the meat, egg, and dairy industries, they often discover abuses beyond their imagination. They uncover things that have been happening behind their backs for years. And they recognize that many consumers are at the end of a supply chain involving immoral animal exploitation and suffering, and their choice is what helps it continue.

Vegetarians and vegans believe that animals are sentient beings that deserve a decent life and have as much right to exist without tyranny as humans have. If you agree with this and if you are against unfairness, cruetly and animal suffering then you have a choice to make.

Everyone is responsible for the consequences of the food choices they make. So the bottom line, and the question everyone must ask themselves, is where do you stand? Do you really care? But here's the easy bit: no one is forcing you to do anything. Just do the best you can. Even going without meat for one meal each week is a positive step.

If you want to take it further, whether living in Korea or not, then we hope our resources and links can help you.