this post was submitted on 19 Jan 2024
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Bananas are ridiculously cheap even up here in Canada, and they aren't grown anywhere near here. Yet a banana can grow, be harvested, be shipped, be stocked, and then be purchased by me for less than it'd cost to mail a letter across town. (Well, if I could buy a single banana maybe...or maybe that's not the best comparison, but I think you get my point)

Along the banana's journey, the farmer, the harvester, the shipper, the grocer, the clerk, and the cashier all (presumably) get paid. Yet a single banana is mere cents. If you didn't know any better, you might think a single banana should cost $10!

I'm presuming that this is because of some sort of exploitation somewhere down the line, or possibly loss-leading on the grocery store's side of things.

I'm wondering what other products like bananas are a lot cheaper than they "should" be (e.g., based on how far they have to travel, or how difficult they are to produce, or how much money we're saving "unethically").

I've heard that this applies to coffee and chocolate to varying extents, but I'm not certain.

Anyone know any others?

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[–] MaggiWuerze@feddit.de 126 points 9 months ago (3 children)

Surprised nobody said meat yet. Current prices are only possible through gigantic subsidies and the blatant disregard for even the most basic of animal wellbeing and that's not even starting to factor in the environmental and climate damage meat production ensues.

[–] MisterChief@lemmy.world 33 points 9 months ago (4 children)

I agree with you but there are more ethical ways to eat meat while also saving money. Last year my wife and I purchased 1/4 of an entire cow from a farm about 35 miles north of us (friends and family bought the other 3/4). This cow was responsibly raised, grass fed, on a small, local farm. We received 200 pounds of meat with probably a dozen different cuts of meat. This includes dozens of pounds of excellent steak and the meat is simply amazing. We will definitely be going this route moving forward as we averaged the price per pound to ~$4/lb which is far less than the local grocery.

I understand this isn't possible for everyone as we also had to purchase a chest freezer which requires space but has made our grocery bill far smaller and the meat we are eating much better in many ways.

[–] vividspecter@lemm.ee 14 points 9 months ago (1 children)

The problem is that you are still contributing to demand for meat. It would be impossible to meet all of the current demand by "ethical" means, so the only way for meat to become more ethical across the whole industry is for the demand for meat to go down massively (or the supply is reduced by legislation). And I don't see that legislation being likely if people are still so invested in eating meat.

[–] federatingIsTooHard@lemmy.world -3 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (1 children)

the only way for meat to become more ethical across the whole industry is for the demand for meat to go down massively (or the supply is reduced by legislation).

this presupposes that ethical production is not the norm despite animal welfare laws and humane slaughter being the norm in the entire developed world, and also shows a great lack of imagination and a misunderstanding of economic theories.

industry creates is own demand. you aren't going to stop big meat by buying beans. there use no amount of beans you can buy that will change how many head of cattle a rancher keeps.

[–] JubilantJaguar@lemmy.world 8 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Factory farming is indeed legal. You seem to be suggesting that it is ethically defensible as well. That's a serious stretch if you know what it really looks like, even in the most restrictive jurisdictions, i.e. Western Europe. The only charitable explanation is that you have not looked into the subject very deeply.

[–] federatingIsTooHard@lemmy.world -3 points 9 months ago (1 children)

what I said is that animal welfare laws and humane slaughter laws are the norm in the western world. I said nothing about legality of factory farming implying morality. I'm saying there are legal restrictions to ensure it is humane.

[–] JubilantJaguar@lemmy.world 4 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Yes, and I am saying that you clearly do not understand the reality of what goes on in the average factory farm. Or do not care. But I prefer to imagine that it's ignorance, that is less disturbing.

[–] federatingIsTooHard@lemmy.world -2 points 9 months ago

you have no basis for these accusations. you have no idea what I know or what I care about.

[–] otp@sh.itjust.works 8 points 9 months ago

I wish I could do that. Gotta save up for a chest freezer and hope I can make it work! Lol

[–] intensely_human@lemm.ee 1 points 9 months ago

Yes but did the cow go to college? Was it provided with cable TV? These cows live boring farm lives, and we could do so much better.

[–] MaggiWuerze@feddit.de -2 points 9 months ago (4 children)

Even if the cow is responsibly raised, there's still the question of how it was conceived. No farmer simply let's a bull on top of a cow, since our modern cows are too big to safely mate. So usually a cow is artificially inseminated, which is an inherently violent procedure. The milk industry could simply not exist without this institutionalized rape

[–] Slowy@lemmy.world 7 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

That’s only really true in dairy. Most meat cows are conceived using ‘natural cover’, where several bulls are just left with the ladies to do their thing.

[–] otp@sh.itjust.works 5 points 9 months ago

Their method isn't perfect, but taking steps is a good thing, imo

[–] JJROKCZ@lemmy.world 0 points 9 months ago (1 children)

As you said, they can’t mate… so what’s your solution? Let them go extinct and we lose not only a beautiful creature but a significant part of our species food source and history? We’ve been drinking milk and eating beef since the dawn of animal husbandry

[–] naevaTheRat@lemmy.dbzer0.com 9 points 9 months ago (17 children)

Wait you're saying it's better to be genetically experimented on, caged, forced to breed, and be killed in your early adulthood than not have children?

That's it's actually more ethical to make a creature who you later kill for your own pleasure than not to do that? because the alternative is only wild cows and cowlike creatures existing?

They're living beings, not museum exhibits ffs. Species don't have preferences, individuals do.

[–] bigMouthCommie@kolektiva.social -1 points 9 months ago (1 children)

they didn't say any of what you said.

you are arguing with a strawman.

[–] naevaTheRat@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 9 months ago (1 children)

That's what a farm is. They're saying we should keep farming them or else they would go extinct and that would be worse than continuing to farm them.

[–] bigMouthCommie@kolektiva.social -2 points 9 months ago (1 children)

they did not say what you said. you are putting words in their mouth.

[–] naevaTheRat@lemmy.dbzer0.com -1 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (1 children)

What did they say then? What are the implications? what are they arguing against?

[–] bigMouthCommie@kolektiva.social -1 points 9 months ago (1 children)
[–] JJROKCZ@lemmy.world -3 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Point out the wild bovine to me bruh, they don’t exist, they’re one of the many species dépendant upon humans for their survival.

[–] naevaTheRat@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 9 months ago (5 children)
[–] JubilantJaguar@lemmy.world 4 points 9 months ago

Very frustrating to argue with people who claim to have no concern for living creatures when in fact they probably love their dog or cat and would find it just as hard as anyone else to watch a video of what goes on in factory farms. Food choices are such a fundamental part of human culture that most people just cannot stand having them questioned, it's as if you are questioning their religion. Alas.

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[–] federatingIsTooHard@lemmy.world -5 points 9 months ago (1 children)

artificial insemination isn't rape. it's a veterinary procedure

[–] naevaTheRat@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 9 months ago (1 children)

If I artificially inseminated you would you feel raped?

[–] federatingIsTooHard@lemmy.world 0 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (1 children)

I'm not a cow and I somehow doubt you are a veterinarian

[–] naevaTheRat@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 9 months ago (2 children)

So it would be abhorrent right? What makes it ok to do to a cow then? Is it the prop stethoscope? the certificate of graduation on the wall? Do cows just not matter? if so why not?

[–] federatingIsTooHard@lemmy.world -4 points 9 months ago

if you have something to say, say it. what I said is true.

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[–] BlueLineBae@midwest.social 8 points 9 months ago

I started eating substantially less meat over the last 10 years. The money I save eating less goes towards higher quality meats from small farms. Weirdly, it depends on if you know where to go. If you buy from a farm that also butchers and packages the meat, it's going to cost and arm and a leg because they are selling both convenience and are aware that audience they are selling to has more money. However, if you purchase say 1/2 a cow and arrange to have it butchered, you pay a lot upfront, but it's even cheaper in the long run. Only problem is, you'll likely need a chest freezer.

[–] otp@sh.itjust.works 6 points 9 months ago (2 children)

Yeah, I've been making efforts to reduce meat from my diet for plenty of reasons. But I enjoy the taste, so I'm excited for lab-grown meat!

[–] captainlezbian@lemmy.world 8 points 9 months ago

I loved the taste of meat and it kept me from quitting for years, and I will say that I don’t miss it nearly as much as I thought I would.

[–] Delphia@lemmy.world 2 points 9 months ago

There will be too much pushback for that to make an impact in a hurry.

The most exciting one is plant based eggs and milk, because a LOT of people who wont buy a lab grown steak also wont read the back of the box of cookies to see of it uses real milk and eggs. Mass produced processed foods will use the shit out of it if its cheaper.