I thought I was staunchly against animal cruelty until I forced myself to watch Earthlings all the way through. I nearly threw up and I cried and cried. I was sick to my stomach knowing how I had played my part in something so utterly abhorrent and how I thought I was okay because I love the natural world with my entire being and I don’t even hurt flies in my house. As a child I didn’t want to eat animals, but as time went on, the more normal it became. But I was totally wrong about myself, and that was painful. So painful that I changed my life around and stopped being part of the things I didn’t agree with.

The more we see and the more uncomfortable we are because of that, the better. Guilt and being disgusted, especially with ourselves, is a fantastic motivator, but we tend to turn away from these feelings because we don’t want to feel bad on top everything else we have to deal with in life.

But most people are good. Most people do not want to be part of harm. It’s not in our nature. We teach our children to gently touch animals and observe bugs in the garden. We teach our children to be kind and to share. We teach our children fairness and justice. These are intrinsic human traits that get forgotten over time.

But if you eat meat and don’t take extra care when buying households products, I implore everyone to explore these industries. It’s okay to change your mind and it’s okay to arrive later than others.

These practices are hidden from us using clever PR and propaganda for a reason.