SWA #3

In “What Will Future Generations Condemn Us For?” Kwame Anthony Appiah ponders what policies and standards future Americans will condemn current generations for. He points out that history proves that we tend to look back and wonder how it was possible that things such as slavery, the hanging of homosexuals, and other various acts were considered normal and morally okay. Appiah predicted several practices that could be looked back upon with regret. One that stood out to me and that I too believe will be condemned in the future was his explanation of the malpractices in industrial meat production. Appiah describes the horrors of this industry when saying cattle are “surrounded by piles of their own feces, their nostrils filled with the smell of their own urine” (25). Most people with a trace of humanity in them would cringe at the mental image of this going on. Several groups and organizations push to stop this kind of activity from happening. Furthermore, they encourage vegetarianism amongst those they interact with. The reason this is such an important issue is because America is full of meat eaters, and this is the reality of this industry that many feel everyone should be aware of. However, most people chose to just not think about what animals have to go trough before they end up on his/her plate. I can definitely relate to this type of thinking. I love chicken and would struggle without it, but I hate thinking about what some have to go through before they’re slaughtered. From the industry’s standpoint, it is cheaper to do production they way they’re doing it, and it keeps meat prices from going out of reach. Overall I think it still comes down to a matter of ethics and will eventually be changed. In a few years, we probably will indeed be looking back on this matter shaking our heads.

            In our Writing Arguments textbook, there is an image of a baby with a bib on that reads “POISON.” The image is meant to protest against phthalates being used in the production of toys. The image makes a powerful statement, because it makes the onlooker make a direct connection to those who could be affected by the poisonous chemicals. No one wants to poison the cute little baby. Many argue that the risks of these phthalates have the potential to have devastating consequences. According to the text, studies on rats showed that these chemicals could affect hormone production and cause certain types of cancers. However, executives argue that it’s hard to determine if the effects on rats are the same as humans. Furthermore, there are only trace amounts of these chemicals in the toys, not enough to cause any of the damages those against them describe. Overall the image in the text says that by supporting phthalates usage in toy production, you are also supporting the poisoning of babies. This sort of message evokes guilt in the person looking at it leading their emotions tell them that it is immoral.