system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
CMV: Eating dogs is NOT more immoral than eating conventional meats.

***DISCLAIMER: Do not break the law. Don't be stupid.*** 

Background: I've lived my entire life as a vegetarian in India. I'm also not religious and I think life is meaningless. I overthink everything including morality.

First of all, let's acknowledge the apparent correlation between an organism's consciousness, and it's requirement to move. Plants, fungi, and coral aren't really conscious. Humans, pigs, deer, lions, chickens etc. are.
(watch Kurzgesagt's video about consciousness, they explain it perfectly)

Next, let's acknowledge that humans are ecologically supposed to be hunter-gatherers. There is nothing INHERENTLY immoral about being a carnivore/omnivore. It's the way of nature. If you hunt prey, good for you I guess. It's cool.

Now, if you live in the Western world, I am 99% certain that the meat that's currently on your plate (beef, chicken, fish, pork, etc.) comes from factory farms. I don't think I need to point out the unnecessary suffering this causes. Most of us are already aware of it.

Chickens, although noticeably less tame, and a lot less cuter, are DEFINITELY conscious and they do suffer when in pain, just like dogs. *In fact, fish demonstrate symptoms of suffering too (although not facial expressions).* Look it up.

Edit: On a related note, look up "locked-in syndrome". I think it is a good comparison to what a fish feels when left out of the water to dry to death.

The major reason dogs and cats enjoy a special status over other animals is their weak resemblance of the human infant. (big eyes, etc.) and their tame nature (which in turn, has been artificially selected). Not a moral difference, this one. We're biologically biased to this.

Another thing: dogs are mammals so their meat might even be a better choice? I'm probably wrong about this.

I think I'll rest my case here. At least for now. I'd love to hear your thoughts. Thank you for reading!
gpt
I would agree that there is nothing more inherently immoral about it but its possible we couldve evolved to see them more this way because animals who are higher on the food chain and are predators tend to carry more diseases and prions that are transmissible to humans. Leading those humans who were less likely to eat dogs and wolves surviving longer and reproducing, passing on that same aversion to the next generation.