As per the point about poverty, I'm not sure if there's reason to expect that buying local plant foods would be worse than buying local animal products.
As I understand, chickpeas are a staple product grown in Pakistan, along with rice and millet. I think it would be pretty safe to assume eating hummus would economically support locals as much as eating meat would.
The point about whether the animals have lives worth living is interesting.
Thinking about this, I imagine if I were given the offer that, after I die, (before whatever afterlife or nothingness awaits) I could become a goat on a small farm. I don't think I would accept this offer. I don't think being castrated without anaesthesia or painkillers would be worth an extra ~6 months of life, where someone else who doesn't necessarily care about me has complete domain over me and my wellbeing.
It is a very complicated question though.
As per the point about poverty, I'm not sure if there's reason to expect that buying local plant foods would be worse than buying local animal products.
As I understand, chickpeas are a staple product grown in Pakistan, along with rice and millet. I think it would be pretty safe to assume eating hummus would economically support locals as much as eating meat would.
The point about whether the animals have lives worth living is interesting.
Thinking about this, I imagine if I were given the offer that, after I die, (before whatever afterlife or nothingness awaits) I could become a goat on a small farm. I don't think I would accept this offer. I don't think being castrated without anaesthesia or painkillers would be worth an extra ~6 months of life, where someone else who doesn't necessarily care about me has complete domain over me and my wellbeing. It is a very complicated question though.